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A TEXAS RANGER 



BY 

v' 



Ni A. JENNINGS 



NEW YORK 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 

1899 



Copyright, 1899, by 
CHARLES SCRIBNER'S SONS 



TwoenoiFK 


C' k: r 




f MAY 6' 







TROW DIRECTORY 

PRINTING AND BOOKBINDING COMPANr 

NEW YORK 






r5^\ 
•J5H 



6 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTEE I 

Public Opinion in Texas — Change in Respect for Law 
and Order — First Visit — Romance vs. Reality — The 
Baker Hotel at San Antonio — Treatment of Impe- 
cunious Guests — " Seeing the Town " — " Flat 
Broke" — Engagement with a Ranchman — First 
Mustang Ride — Deserted at Pleasanton, Page 1 



CHAPTER II 

Cattle-men and Their Cheery Customs — "Mavericks" 
— My First Job, Watering Horses — Engaged by 
John Ross — Removed to Laredo — My First " North- 
er '* — Christopher Criss's Story — Howling Coyotes — 
The Town of Laredo — A Mexican Fiesta — Mexicans 
at Monte — Rescued by a Compatriot, . Page 12 



CHAPTER III 

I Become a Quartermaster's Clerk for a Brief Season — 
United States Commissioner Peterson — His Duel- 
ling and Other Traits — Arrested by Mexicans — The 
Tables Turned — Peterson's Revenge — Mexicans 
Charged with Smuggling — Heavy Bail Required — 
General Exodus of Mexicans, . . Page 32 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTEK IV 

Off on a Surveying Trip — Appointed Chief of Po- 
lice — " Gringos " and " Greasers " — Origin of 
the Term *' Gringo "—My First Arrest— An Un- 
popular Proceeding — Shot at Five Times in One 
Night — The Diaz-Lerdo Struggle in Mexico — 
Battle on the Rio Grande — United States Colored 
Troops to the Front — A Little Artillery Prac- 
tice, Page 49 



CHAPTER V 

Quarrel with Peterson — I Join the Mexican Revolution- 
ists — From the Frying-pan into the Fire — Mexican 
Marksmanship — Slaving for Hard Masters — Attack 
on Nueva Laredo — How I Led a Charge, and the Re- 
ward I Received — Back Again in Texas — " Wanted " 
for Filibustering — A Narrow Escape — The Tables 
Turned Again — Arrested — Crockett Kelly to the 
Rescue, Page 69 



CHAPTER VI 

Again Ut the End of my Resources — McNelly's Rangers 
— Their Youthful Aspect — I Interview the Leader — 
Disappointment — Aid from an Unexpected Quarter 
— I Join the Rangers — A "Greaser" Horse — I 
Make Friends with the Ranger Sentinels — Tom 
Evans and Charley McKinney — A Sound Sleep at 

Last, Page 87 

vi 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER VII 

The Awakening in Camp — Antics of the Eangers — Join- 
ing McKinney's " Dab " — Breakfast and Texas Coffee 
— "Forward, March" — Duties of the Rangers — 
The Texas Desperado and His Eeign of Terror — 
Mexican Bandits — How the Eangers Made Arrests — 
How They were Armed and Equipped — The Price 
of Horses, Page 101 

CHAPTER YIII 

Personal History of the Officers and Men of McNelly's 
Troop — Captain McNelly's Career in the Confederate 
Army — Eoster of the Old Troop — Few Texans in the 
Command — Lieutenant Wright — The Captain's Lit- 
tle Boy " Eebel" — Eeappearance of Some Eangers 
Among Eoosevelt's Eough Eiders, Page 113 

CHAPTER IX 

Mexican Eaiders Around Corpus Christi — Anival at 
Para — Eoving Vigilance Committee Disbanded by 
McNelly — Fight with Eaiders at Laguna Madre — L. 
S. Smith Shot— The Eaiders Killed— How Mc- 
Nelly Caught the Leader — Funeral of the Eanger — 
Spying on Cortina, .... Page 129 

CHAPTER X 

Getting a Eeputation as Dare-devils — Shooting up Fan- 
dangos — Passing a Sentinel — Breaking up a Dance 
Single-handed — The Sequel — Night-riding — Sando- 
bal, the Solitary Eanger — Why He Became 
One — His Wrongs and the Vengeance He 

Wreaked, Page 141 

vii 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XI 

Following up the Raiders — A Eide that Beat the Rec- 
ord — The Eighth Cavalry — McNelly Rejoins the 
Command — Parrott's Bold Feat — Reconnoitring — 
The Command Crosses the Rio Grande — McNelly's 
Speech — Capture of the Wrong Ranch — Los Cuevos 
at Last — Retreat and Pursuit — Rout of the Mexi- 
cans, Page 159 

CHAPTER XII 

Captain Young and Henry Guy Carleton — Correspond- 
ence — McNelly's Disappointment — Abandoned by 
the Army — Drawing the Mexican Fire — A Flag of 
Truce — The Conference — Twenty-seven Mexicans 
Killed — A Big Bluff that Worked — Arranging 
Terms — Trying to Back Out — Swimming the Cattle 
Across the River — Letter to Adjutant - General 
Steele, Page 183 

CHAPTER XIII 

Results of the Los Cuevos Fight— The Mexicans Com- 
pletely Cowed— Quiet on the Border — Poker-play- 
ing — Shooting Contests — Practical Jokes — Snipe- 
hunting, So-called — Rattlesnake Ventriloquism 
— Comradeship Among the Rangers — Reasons for 
Prevalent Good-nature, . . . Page 20-1 

CHAPTER XIV 

After the Raiders the Desperadoes— Laredo Once More 
—Letter from McNelly to the Adjutant-General— 
Three Thousand Names on the Rangers' Outlaw 
List— Capture of King Fisher and His Band — A 
Precious Gang of Cut-throats— Porter's Record- 
Fisher the Type of Dandy Desperado— All Out at 

Once on Bail, Page 216 

viii 



CONTENTS 

CHAPTER XV 

State of Affairs in Atascosa County — Women Armed 
with Derringers — Lieutenant Hall Joins the Kang- 
ers — My Turkey-shooting Adventure — Numerous 
Arrests by Hall — All Prisoners Liberated on Straw 
Bail— Eule of King Fisher, . . Page 233 

CHAPTER XVI 

Off for a Long Scout — Taking Everybody Prisoner — 
Capture of Noley Key — The Birds Flown — Attack on 
the Camp — Two Hundred Shots in Four Minutes — 
A Hand-to-hand Fight — Death of the Guide — Mc- 
Alister's Ingratitude — En route for Eagle Pass — 
Arrest of an Embezzler, . . . Page 244 

CHAPTER XVII 

Armstrong's Foolhardy Scheme — Over the Border — 
An Empty Cage — The Threatened Ambush — A 
Moonlight Kide — Drawing Lots for Dangerous 
Service — Kangers, not Desperadoes — King Fisher 
Caught Again, and Again Released — Warning an 
Old Benefactor — Extra Guard Duty, . Page 258 

CHAPTER XVin 

Arrest of J. B. Johnson for Cattle-stealing — Saved from 
Angry Germans — John Mayfield Slain — His Body 
Hidden — The Great Feud Between the Suttons 
and Taylors — Murder of Dr. Brazell — Sitterlee's 
Wedding Party and the Eangers as Guests — 
The Court Proceedings — Heroism of Judge Pleas- 
ants, ....... Page 272 

iz 



CONTENTS 



CHAPTER XIX 

Hot Words with Eector — A Duel Avoided — Reorgani- 
zation of the Eangers — Ham White's Chivahy — His 
Facetiousness — Execution of Frank Singleton — John 
Wesley Hardin, the Worst of the " Bad Men "— 
Some of His Crimes — His Wonderful Marksmanship 
— His Pious Parentage, . . . Page 291 



CHAPTER XX 

Disappearance of Hardin — Efforts for His Capture — On 
the Trail — Four Rangers Off for Florida in Pursuit 
— Hardin a Prisoner — Sentenced to Twenty-five 
Years' Imprisonment — Pardoned by the Governor — 
Killed at Last — Establishment of Law and Order 
Due to Rangers — Simms of San Antonio — The Old 
Command Disbanded, . . , Page 309 



A TEXAS RANGER 



A TEXAS RANGER 



CHAPTEE I 

Public Opinion in Texas — Change in Kespect for Law 
and Order — First Visit — Romance vs. Reality — The 
Baker Hotel at San Antonio — Treatment of Impe- 
cunious Guests — " Seeing the Town " — " Flat 
Broke" — Engagement with a Ranchman — First 
Mustang Ride — Deserted at Pleasanton. 

In the following story of those years of my 
life which were passed on the broad table- 
lands of Western Texas, I have endeavored 
to set down, plainly and truthfully, events as 
they actually occurred. I have always given 
the correct names of places, but in some in- 
stances have thought it proper to change the 
names of persons. During a recent visit to 
Texas, for the purpose of going over the 
scenes of the adventures of earlier days, I 
found a number of highly respected citizens, 
living exemplary lives, who had formerly been 
eagerly hunted by the officers of the law. It 

1 



A TEXAS RANGEE 

would be manifestly unfair to give their real 
names in this history, and so expose them to 
the criticism of their fellow-citizens at this 
late day. In other instances, however, where 
the malefactors are notorious, I have not hes- 
itated to use real names. 

In justice to the great State of Texas, I 
wish to say that the conditions which existed 
in the period embraced in this narrative have 
undergone a complete change, and that in no 
State in the Union is the law more respected 
than it is in Texas to-day. 

It was in September, 1874, that I first vis- 
ited Texas. I was eighteen years old, and 
had only a short time before left the famous 
New Hampshire school where I had been a 
pupil for a number of years. My father, a 
Philadelphia merchant, was very indulgent 
to me, and I had never been obliged to con- 
tribute a penny toward my own support. 
The reading of books of travel and advent- 
ure had roused in me a spirit of unrest, and 
I wanted to see the world. 

Some copies of The Texas New Yorker, a 
paper published in the interests of some of 
the Southwestern railroads, came into my 
hands, and my mind was inflamed by the 
highly colored accounts of life in the Lone 

2 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Star State. I read every word in the papers, 
and believed all I read. Since then I have 
learned that Colonel J. Armoy Knox, later of 
Texas Sif tings, was one of the men who wrote 
the most lurid articles for The Texas N'eiv 
Yorker. I was a callow youth at the time, 
however, and had never met the genial 
Colonel. I should know better now than to 
take him so seriously, but his humor was all 
sober fact to me then. 

After reading of the wild, free life of the 
Texas cowboy, I made up my mind that life 
would not be worth living outside of Texas. 
In a few years — or was it months? — I had the 
assurance of Colonel Knox's paper that, so 
surely as I went to Texas, I should be a cattle- 
king, the owner of countless herds of beeves 
and unlimited acres of land. I forget now 
just how I was going to acquire these with- 
out money or experience, but I know the 
Colonel made it all as plain as daylight to 
me then. As a "boomer" he was a glo- 
rious success. 

About the first of September, then, I told 
my father that I had decided to try life in 
Texas, if he would give his permission. I 
said I knew that a fortune awaited me there, 
and I wanted to go and get it before some- 

3 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

one else gobbled it up. To my vast aston- 
ishment, my father gave his consent, but 
said that if I went I must depend on my 
own exertions for a living. He suggested 
that my enthusiasm had obtained the upper 
hand of my judgment, but said that he would 
not stand in the way of my following my 
inclination to try a little out-door life and 
shifting for myself. He gave me his bless- 
ing and $100. 

I started for Texas at once, my objective 
point being San Antonio. From there I in- 
tended to go farther West and find the site 
for my cattle-ranch. Of course, this sounds 
ridiculous, but it seemed quite feasible to me 
at that time. Many and many a young man 
has gone out into the West with such ideas 
in his head ; just as many and many an im- 
migrant has come to America with the ex- 
pectation of finding money lying loose in the 
streets for him to pick up as he pleased. 

At that time the railroad ran only to Austin, 
the capital of Texas, and about eighty miles 
from San Antonio. I went from Austin to 
San Antonio on top of a stage-coach. I had 
lived well on my journey, and when I came 
to pay my stage-fare I found that my supply 
of ready money was getting dangerously low. 

4 



A TEXAS RANGEK 

But I had bought a six-shooter and felt that 
I was a real Texan, which made me happy. 
When I arrived in San Antonio I had $3.25. 
I went to the Baker House, a second-class 
hotel on the Main Plaza of the quaint old 
town. I was well dressed, and I had a sole- 
leather trunk filled with clothing, so, fortu- 
nately for me, I was not asked to pay for my 
board in advance. 

My first week in San Antonio was one of 
real misery. I knew that I could not pay my 
hotel bill when it should fall due, but farther 
than that I did not know. For the first time 
I wondered how I was going to get out on the 
plains to start my cattle-ranch. How was 
I to get away ? How could I pay my bill with- 
out money? What was I to do? What would 
become of me? 

I was in my first serious predicament, and 
as unhappy a youth as could well be imagined. 
I thought with longing of the safety of my 
father's house, in Philadelphia, and heartily 
wished myself back there again. 

My mind was not a bit relieved by an in- 
cident which occurred at the hotel, three or 
four days after my arrival. 

I was sitting in the hotel office, wondering 
what I should do to get out of my trouble, 

5 



A TEXAS RANGER 

when the proprietor. Baker — a big, heavy, 
broad-shouldered man, with a long, gray 
beard, which gave him a patriarchal appear- 
ance — walked in. He was greatly excited. 
He walked straight up to a young man who 
was sitting near me and caught him roughly 
by the collar. 

*' Here, you rascal !" he exclaimed, 'Tve 
found you out. You thought you could beat 
me, did you ? Take that ! " 

Old Baker emphasized his words by hit- 
ting the young man over the head with a 
heavy cane. The blood ran down the man's 
face, and he struggled to get away. He 
finally succeeded in escaping from Baker 
and ran out of the hotel. 

*'I guess he won't try to beat a hotel out 
o' board and lodging in a hurry again," said 
old Baker, looking after him, with a grin. 

Naturally, this assault made a deep im- 
pression upon me. I looked upon Baker 
with distrust every time he came near me, 
and felt like throwing up my arm to ward 
off a blow whenever he greeted me. 

The end of my first week came all too 
soon, and the clerk handed me my bill ; it 
amounted to $10.25. The extra quarter was 
for bringing my trunk from the stage office 

6 



A TEXAS EANGER 

to the hotel. I had seventy-five cents in my 
pocket when I received the bill. I thought it 
well over, and then made up my mind to go to 
Baker and make a clean breast of the whole 
matter to him. It was not without many 
misgivings that I decided to take this 
course, but it turned out to be the best thing 
I could have done. Mr. Baker listened with 
patience to my rather lame explanation of 
why I could not pay the bill. I was so ner- 
vous that I was almost crying with mortifi- 
cation. 

** Well, my boy," said the old man, kindly, 
when I had finished, "we must find some- 
thing for you to do. How would you like to 
work on a ranch ? " 

I told him that I had come to Texas to 
work on a ranch. I was willing to do so for 
a short time, I said, until I learned some- 
thing about the business, then I proposed to 
start a ranch of my own. He asked me if I 
had any capital in prospect, and I told him 
I had not. I was very young indeed in those 
days. 

The upshot of our conversation was that 
he introduced me to one of his guests, a 
cattle-man named Eeynolds, who owned a 
ranch in Atascosa County, south of San An- 

7 



A TEXAS RANGER 

tonio. Eeynolds asked me if I had ever 
worked in Texas before, and when I told him 
I had not, he hesitated about employing 
me. I assured him that, although I had not 
worked in Texas, I was not a bit afraid of 
any kind of work, and only longed for the 
chance to show what I could do. This did 
not seem to impress him greatly, but he 
finally said he would give me a trial. 

Mr. Baker said I could leave my trunk at 
his hotel until I was able to pay him what I 
owed. I thought this was very kind in him. 
My trunk, by the way, with its contents, 
was worth about ten times the amount of 
his bill. 

I was so elated over my good fortune that 
I started out that evening to **see the town," 
a thing I had not attempted before. The 
first place I went to was a Mexican gam- 
bling-room. There were several games of 
monte in progress. I had never seen 
monte played, nor any gambling for that 
matter, and I became greatly interested. 
At last I grew so fascinated that I ventured 
to bet seventy-five cents— my entire fortune 
— on the turn of a card. I regret to say, I 
won. I bet again and again, until I had won 
over twenty dollars. I kept on playing, with 

8 



A TEXAS RANGEE 

the inevitable result that I left the place 
penniless. For the first time in my life I 
was "flat broke." 

Early the next morning I started with 
Reynolds for his ranch. He brought two 
little Texas ponies around to the front of the 
hotel, about sunrise, and told me I was to 
ride one of them. I was delighted. I had 
ridden a horse perhaps a dozen times in my 
life, and I thought I was an expert rider. 
But I had never ridden very far at a time, 
and when Reynolds said we should have to 
go thirty-five miles that day I had some mis- 
givings as to how I was going to stand it. 
But I kept them to myself, and we started. 
Reynolds set the pace at that easy "lope" 
which the tough, wiry little Texas ponies 
can keep up hour after hour without show- 
ing fatigue. The motion was as easy as that 
of a rocking-chair, and I thought I should 
never tire of it. I did, though. 

Long before we had covered the thirty-five 
miles I began to suffer. I had often heard 
the common expression about every bone in 
one's body aching ; I had probably used it, 
carelessly, myself ; but before I finished that 
ride I knew of a verity what it meant. Not 
only did every bone ache, but every muscle, 

9 



A TEXAS KANGER 

and joint, and nerve in my body, from the 
crown of my head to the ends of my toes, 
was giving me excruciating pain. Every 
mile we covered added to my sufferings. 

We stopped at noon to rest and eat and let 
the horses graze. When, after about two 
hours, Reynolds said it was time for us to be 
going on, it took real courage for me to get 
on that little mustang again. It was after 
dark when we at last reached Reynolds's 
ranch. I tumbled from the pony's back 
more dead than alive, and I then and there 
resolved never again to ride a horse. I was 
far too tired and in too much pain to sleep, 
and all night I suffered intensely. 

Before I left Texas, I practically lived on 
a horse for three years. I have ridden for 
three weeks at a time in pouring rain, 
and have slept every night during that pe- 
riod on wet ground, covered with a wet 
blanket. I have ridden '^bucking broncos," 
and horses that trotted with the gait of an 
animated pile-driver. I have raced for my 
life in front of a herd of stampeded cattle. 
I have been chased forty miles at night by 
desperadoes, anxious to make a sieve of my 
body with bullets. But never have I expe- 
rienced anything like that first Texas ride. 

10 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Long before daylight the next morning, I 
was called by Reynolds, who said that he 
wanted me to go to Pleasanton with him to 
a "stock meeting." I didn't know what a 
"stock meeting" was, but I was quite sure 
I didn't want to go to that one. I simply 
wanted to lie quiet and die, but pride came 
to my aid and, stiff and sore as I was, I 
struggled to my feet, ate a breakfast of 
black coffee and corn-bread, and again 
mounted my mustang. We started just as 
the first faint streak of dawn showed in the 
sky and reached Pleasanton about an hour 
after the sun had risen. Reynolds probably 
came to the conclusion that I was too much 
of a "tenderfoot" or "short-horn" for his 
use, for he deserted me in Pleasanton, and 
left me there to shift for myself. He calmly 
told me he had changed his mind about em- 
ploying me, and went away and left me, tak- 
ing with him the horse I had so painfully 
ridden. 



11 



CHAPTER II 

Cattle-men and Their Cheery Customs — "Mavericks" 
— My First Job, Watering Horses — Engaged by 
John Eoss — Bemoved to Laredo — My First " North- 
er " — Christopher Criss's Story — Howling Coyotes — 
The Town of Laredo — A Mexican Fiesta — Mexicans 
at Monte — Rescued by a Compatriot. 

I HAD been in a sad predicament in San 
Antonio, but now my situation was indeed 
desperate. I was not only penniless, but 
hungry and friendless. The town was full of 
cattle-men and cow-boys, who had come to 
it to attend the stock-meeting. They were 
a good-natured, jolly set of fellows, but 
through my inexperienced young Eastern 
eyes I saw in them only a lot of rough, loud- 
talking, swearing rufSans. 

At that time Texas had but few fences in 
it, and cattle roamed at will all over the State. 
The only way a cattle-owner had of keeping 
his property was by branding the calves and 
cutting their ears in some fanciful way. 
These brands and ear-marks were duly regis- 

13 



A TEXAS EANGER 

tered in the county clerk's office and deter- 
mined the ownership of the cattle. All un- 
branded cattle were known as '* Mavericks." 
They belonged to nobody in particular, but 
if a cattle-man came across one, he would 
**rope " it, throw it down, and brand it. 

The principal market for Texas cattle was 
in Kansas, and the cattle-men would gather 
great herds and drive them up through the 
Indian Territory to Kansas, where they 
would sell them. The cattle-men did not 
necessarily confine themselves to driving 
their own cattle, but would take those be- 
longing to others as well. They were sup- 
posed to keep a careful record of all such 
cattle they had taken up and sold, and to 
make a settlement at a "stock meeting" 
every three months. As a rule, the cattle- 
men were not any too honest in keeping 
their records, and the stock meetings were 
in the nature of a farce. Very little money 
ever changed hands. The owner of a brand 
would meet the owner of another and say to 
him : 

"Jim, I took up twenty-one o' your cows 
an' sold 'em. I'll give ye an order to take up 
twenty-five o' mine if ye ain't took up any 

lately," 

13 



A TEXAS HANGER 

''Well, I did round up sixteen o' your 'B 
T' brand," the other would reply, **so I 
reckon we can fix up the difference all right." 

The chances were that both men were lying 
outrageously as to the number of cattle each 
had sold belonging to the other, but as all 
were doing the same thing, it was pretty 
thoroughly understood that the smartest 
man in gathering stock was the one to come 
out ahead. 

Under no circumstances would a cattle- 
man ever kill any of his own stock for beef. 
He invariably hunted up for that purpose 
some brand which did not belong to him, 
and it was an unwritten law that cattle 
killed for beef should not be accounted for 
at the stock meetings. Some of the large 
cattle-owners actually advertised in the little 
county newspapers the brands which they 
wished other ranch-men to use for beef. 

I am not exaggerating when I say that at 
that time in Texas ten times more cattle 
were stolen every year than were bought 
and sold. A man would acquire possession 
of a few cattle of a certain brand and would 
forthwith gather all cows and steers of all 
brands he could round up, drive them to 
Kansas, and sell them. Very often there 

14 



A TEXAS EANGER 

were fights about the cattle and, as every 
man carried a six-shooter in that country, 
*' killings" were of somewhat frequent oc- 
currence. Still, there was a difference be- 
tween a regular cattle-man and a common 
cattle-thief. The former always was the 
legal owner of at least one brand ; the latter 
owned none at all. 

My predicament at being thrown on my 
own resources among these rough-and-ready 
frontiersmen was, as may be imagined, a 
serious one. I was desperate. I hung around 
the stable where a good many of the stock- 
men put up their horses, and asked one after 
the other if he did not wish to employ me. I 
was not the sort they wanted, however, and 
I met with no success. I had about given up 
hope when the proprietor of the stable came 
to me and asked me if I didn't want to go out 
into the yard and draw water from the well 
for the horses. He said he would give me a 
dollar if I would draw water for two hours. 

I had never done any hard work in my 
life, but I jumped at the opportunity that 
time. The yard was filled with horses, and 
close to the well was a trough for their use. 
They crowded around the trough and fought 
to get the water I drew from the well in 

15 



A TEXAS SANGER 

buckets and poured into it. My position was 
dangerous and I fully realized it ; in fact, I 
probably magnified it, for I was unused to 
being with horses. 

I worked hard, however, and to such good 
purpose that in half an hour I had exhausted 
the well. The stable-man acted handsomely. 
He paid me the dollar, although I had worked 
but half an hour. Later in the day I worked 
again for him, and that night he let me sleep 
in his hayloft. 

For two weeks I worked around the stable 
and at other odd jobs in the little town, 
chopping wood and doing anything I could 
get to do, and I managed to make a bare 
living, but no more. 

Then it was that I first met John Ross. 
He was a big-hearted, bluff Scotchman, with 
a bright red beard and the broadest of Scotch 
accents. He had come to Texas from Glas- 
gow and had married a young San Antonio 
girl of good family, the grand-daughter of 
Jose Antonio Navarro, one of the heroes of 
the Texas revolution. To this day, I look 
back with feelings of deepest affection and 
gratitude to these good people, for they were 
father and mother to me when, as a youth, I 
was alone in Texas and friendless. 

16 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Ross entered into conversation with me in 
Pleasanton and said he would take me to 
his ranch on the Atascosa Creek, about 
eighteen miles from Pleasanton, and give 
me work. He said he could not afford to 
pay much at first, but would give me board 
and lodging and enough to keep me in to- 
bacco. He took me to the ranch in his 
wagon. 

The first day he set me to work digging 
post-holes for a new fence he was building ; 
but he was not a hard master, and when he 
saw I was getting tired he sent me to the 
creek to catch some catfish, a form of labor 
which was much more to my taste. 

I helped Ross on his farm for three months, 
and gradually became used to harder work 
than I had ever supposed I could stand. It 
even became easy for me to get up before 
daylight and to go to bed with the chickens. 
My muscles hardened, and I learned how to 
use them to the best advantage, not easy 
knowledge to acquire when one is city bred 
and has lived an idle life. 

At the end of three months Ross told me 
he had decided to go to Laredo, a town on 
the Rio Grande about one hundred and 
twenty miles south of his ranch. He said 

17 



A TEXAS EANGEK 

that he was going to cultivate a market- 
garden there, and that if I could raise about 
three hundred dollars he would take me in as 
a partner. I wrote to my father that I had a 
fine chance to go into business and he kindly 
sent me the three hundred dollars by return 
mail, together with a letter filled with loving 
advice. I fear I did not appreciate the ad- 
vice nearly so much then as I do now, look- 
ing back from the stand-point of a man of ex- 
perience. This is a veracious tale, however, 
and I am in duty bound to tell exactly what 
became of that money. 

We started for Laredo early one morning 
in January, 1875. In the big covered farm- 
wagon were Mrs. Ross and ** Tommy," the 
baby, the same who lately won distinction 
in a Texas Ranger company by hunting 
down desperate characters near Corpus 
Christi. Will Ross, John's brother, rode 
on horseback, as did I. I had about all the 
money in the outfit. We were fairly well 
armed, for the country was not free from 
Indians at that time and their raids from 
Mexico were quite frequent. 

Never shall I forget that trip to Laredo, 
for I suffered much on it, physically and 
mentally. The weather was very trying for 

18 



A TEXAS EANGER 

one so new to the country as I. The days 
were extremely warm and the nights un- 
comfortably cool. During the day the sun 
blazed in the heavens and his rays beat 
down on our heads with tropical force, but no 
sooner did the shades of night come on than 
the air grew icy cold, and before morning 
it was freezing. Two hours after the sun 
arose the next day, the terrible heat began 
again. To add to the discomfort of these ex- 
treme changes in temperature, water was very 
scarce and rattlesnakes extremely plentiful. 

It was on this journey that I first experi- 
enced a Texas ** norther." It came upon us 
early one afternoon. Will Ross and I were 
riding about a mile ahead of the wagon. We 
were coatless, and our shirts were open at 
the throats, for the heat was stifling. Sud- 
denly, without the slightest warning, an icy 
wind swept across the prairie from the north. 
It chilled us, through and through, in a few 
seconds. 

" Hello ! a norther's coming," said Will 
Ross. *^ We'd better go back and get our 
coats." 

We turned back to the wagon, but when 
we attempted to ride in the teeth of that 
terribly cold wind, we suffered so that we 

19 



A TEXAS EANGER 

gave up the attempt. "We dismounted and 
stood in the lee of our horses until the 
wagon came lumbering up. Then we bundled 
into our coats and overcoats and rode on to a 
creek, a mile or so ahead. There, under the 
shelter of one of the banks, we built a great 
fire and went into camp, to remain until the 
** norther" should blow itself out. This, 
Eoss knew from experience would be in two 
days. 

A "norther" invariably blows from the 
north for twenty-four hours. Then it comes 
back, almost as cold, from the south for 
twenty-four hours more. The third day there 
is no wind, but the cold continues, gradually 
abating until, on the fourth day, the temper- 
ature is what it was before the "norther" 
came. I have been in New Hampshire when 
the thermometer marked forty degrees below 
zero ; I have passed a night, lost in a snow- 
storm, in the Rocky Mountains in Colorado ; 
but never have I suffered so from the cold 
as I have in a Texas " norther." One's blood 
gets thin in a warm climate, and it is not so 
easy to resist cold as in Northern latitudes. 
Not infrequently thousands of cattle will 
die, frozen to death, in a Texas " norther." 
During the winter months the " northers " 

20 



A TEXAS EANGER 

sweep over Texas about once in every two 
or three weeks. 

Lawrence Christopher Criss, an old Texas 
guide and buffalo-hunter, is responsible for 
the following tale of a *' norther." Criss 
vouched for the absolute truth of it, and 
even offered to take me to the spot where 
it happened and show me the ashes of the 
camp-fire to prove it. 

** It was along in the winter of '69 that I 
was out huntin' buffalo with a little hunch- 
back we called Twisted Charley," said Criss, 
telling me the yarn one night, sitting by a 
camp-fire near El Paso, Texas. '^We were 
up in the Panhandle, and dead oodles of 
buffalo grazed around us. We had run 
across a herd in the afternoon, and killed 
nineteen between us. Twisted Charley and 
I were skinnin' them, and were takin' off the 
hides of four or five when the worst norther 
I ever remember struck us. 

" We piled all the wood we could find on 
the fire, but we couldn't begin to keep warm, 
and when night come on it got colder, and 
colder, and colder, till the coffee, boilin' in 
the coffee-pot on the fire, had a skim of ice 
on it that we had to break before we could 
pour the coffee out. 

21 



A TEXxVS EANGER 

"Well, a bright idea struck me, and I 
took one of the green buffalo-hides and 
wrapped myself up in it, and in a minute I 
was as warm and comfortable as a man 
could wish to be anywhere. You know 
there's nothin' warmer than a buffalo-hide, 
and this one was extry thick. Charley saw 
what I had done, and he went and got a 
hide, too, and wrapped himself up in it. 
We were not long in fallin' asleep after 
that, and I was peacefully dreamin' about 
skinnin' Jacarilla Apache buck Injuns to 
make moccasins out of, when, all of a sud- 
den, I was woke up by the most awful 
howlin' I ever heard. 

" I was sure the Injuns were down on us, 
and I jumped up and grabbed my rifle in a 
hurry. Then I saw that it was Twisted 
Charley who was doing the yellin'. I went 
over to where he lay, wrapped up in the 
green buffalo-hide, and I gave him a kick to 
wake him up, for I thought, of course, he 
had a nightmare. 

" * Help me out, help me out ! ' he yelled. 

" ' What's the matter with you?' I asked. 

" ' Don't you see I'm froze up in this hide 
and can't get out? ' he howled. 

'^ I took hold of the hide and tried to un. 

22 



A TEXAS RANGER 

roll it, but it was froze 'round him as hard 
as boiler-iron. He was warm enough, for 
he had wrapped himself in it with the hairy 
side next to him, but he wanted to get out bad. 

" * I can't unwrap that hide any way,' I 
said, after I'd made a trial at it. 

'^ * Cut it open,' said Twisted Charley. 

"I took my skinning-knife and tried to 
cut it, but the hide was so hard it turned the 
knife-edge. 

" ' I'll have to give it up,' I said, at last. 

" * What? ' yelled Charley. * Man, I can't 
stay in this hide forever.' 

" ^ You won't have to,' I says ; ' this 
norther'll blow itself out in three days, and 
then you'll thaw out naturally.' 

'* 'Thaw me out at the fire,' said Charley. 

''That seemed reasonable, and I rolled 
him over by the fire and began toastin' first 
one side and then the other. I thought I'd 
never get him out ; but after awhile, when 
the hide was actually roasted, I managed 
to unroll it enough for him to get out. 
He sat up by the fire the rest of the night, 
swearin'. He was a beautiful swearer, and 
the air moderated a whole lot while he was 
sittin' there inventin' new oaths and let- 
tin' 'em out." 

23 



A TEXAS RANGER 

There was one other thing which I did not 
particularly fancy on that trip to Laredo, 
and that was the howling of the coyote 
wolves around our camp at night. Any 
Texan will tell you that a coyote is the most 
cowardly and harmless of animals, but his 
howl is bloodthirsty and horrible at night. 
It is a shrill, wild, piercing yelp, tapering 
off to a long, dismal howl. There is some- 
thing very human in it, and yet it is weird 
and uncanny and creepy, especially when 
the one listening to it is a young and in- 
experienced man, fresh from the quiet of 
Philadelphia streets. Even when one be- 
comes quite used to it, the howling is any- 
thing but soothing to the nerves. 

Many a night on that trip I was kept 
awake for hours by the little wolves around 
the camp, for I could but believe they would 
attack us, there seemed such a menace in 
their howling. The others in the camp, in- 
cluding Mrs. Eoss and her baby, paid no 
attention to the coyotes. 

We arrived in Laredo, at night, about 
ten days after we had started, and found 
the little town in gala attire. The annual 
fiesta, or fair, was in progress in Nueva Lare- 
do, just across the Rio Grande, in Mexico. 

24 



A TEXAS EANGER 

The Mexicans of both towns had given them- 
selves up to the enjoyment of the holiday 
season, and only monte, mescal, fandangos, 
bull-fights, and general hilarity were in order. 
Mescal, by the way, is a liquor made from 
the century-plant, and is about as strong as 
*' moonshine " corn whiskey. It has a smoky 
taste which, to the American palate, is not 
very agreeable. 

When we entered the town that night, the 
inhabitants were all out of doors and enjoy- 
ing life to the utmost. At that time Laredo 
— now an important railroad terminus of 
twelve or fifteen thousand inhabitants — had 
about three thousand Mexicans and about 
forty Americans for its population. Of 
course, it was **run" by Mexicans. It was 
on American soil, but in its make-up and 
system of government there was little or no 
difference between it and the lesser town of 
Nueva Laredo, on the Mexican side of the 
river. We arrived in town about seven o'clock 
in the evening and, after a supper of chile 
con came and tamales, we crossed the Rio 
Grande to see what we could of the fiesta. 

The market plaza in the Mexican town was 
given up to the fair. It was filled with booths, 
and there were enough games of chance and 

35 



A TEXAS RANGER 

wheels of fortune in operation to stock a dozen 
county-fair race-tracks in this country. In a 
big adobe building on one side of the plaza 
a great game of monte was in progress. On 
a long table extending down the middle of the 
main room in this building were many stacks 
of Mexican silver dollars. Smaller heaps of 
half-dollars and quarters were scattered here 
and there on the table. There were about 
five thousand silver dollars on the table, and 
I was told the bank was good for any amount 
up to fifty thousand dollars. 

The dealers sat at intervals around the table, 
and between them were the players, who 
crowded around three or four deep. The 
players wore gayly striped blankets thrown 
gracefully over their left shoulders. Nearly 
all wore enormous sombreros^ wide of brim, 
and with high peaked crowns, and covered, 
in many instances, with a wealth of silver or 
gold lace and embroidery. 

Every man in the room was smoking a corn- 
husk cigarito, I was impressed by the cold- 
blooded way in which they played the game. 
Win or lose, they displayed absolutely no 
emotion. They watched the dealer closely 
with their keen black eyes from under their 

wide hat-brims, as he turned up the cards upon 

26 



A TEXAS RANGER 

which so much depended; but, no matter 
whether they became richer or poorer by the 
turn, they gave no sign of excitement. 

One old fellow I watched losing steadily for 
fully half an hour. He calmly smoked his cig- 
aritos as he continued to stack up his silver dol- 
lars, fifty at a time, and he seemed to regard 
the outcome with utter indifference. He had 
a well-filled wallet, and time after time he 
took bills from it, and had them changed by 
an attendant into silver to bet on the game* 
Only silver was allowed on the table. After 
a time, this old man began to win as rapidly 
as he had lost, but there was no change in his 
demeanor. He seemed devoid of nerves. He 
was an ideal gambler, but he was only a type 
of all the others. 

From the fascination of watching others to 
the excitement of playing was a very little 
step and I took it. I came out of the room 
about fifty dollars poorer than I entered it. I 
had become separated from the Eoss brothers, 
and I started around the plaza to hunt them 
up. 

I had not gone far before I found myself 
surrounded by a crowd of half-drunken Mex- 
icans. They were drinking mescal from a 
bottle. I attempted to pass on, but one of 

27 



A TEXAS RANGEE 

them caught me by the coat-sleeve and de- 
tained me. I have no doubt whatever now 
that he merely wanted hospitably to invite 
me to take a drink from the bottle, but at 
that time I did not understand the language, 
and the low-browed, black-eyed, blanketed 
Mexicans looked so villainous that I feared I 
was about to be assaulted and robbed. 

I still had over $200 of the $300 which I had 
intended to put into the vegetable gardening 
business with Ross, and when that Mexican 
caught hold of me and held me, I was fright- 
ened. I was so frightened, indeed, that I did 
a very foolish thing. I roughly broke away 
from him. He reached to catch me again, 
and I turned and hit him in the face. Then I 
ran. 

How I escaped from that crowd and away 
from the plaza has always been a puzzle to me, 
but I know that I found myself running as fast 
as I could go down the long street which led 
to the little ferry-boat which was punted across 
the river between the two republics. Behind 
me, I knew there was a crowd of irate Mexi- 
cans, bent on capturing me, and wreaking 
vengeance for the insult I had put upon their 
companion and countryman. I flew on the 
wings of fear, for I doubted not that my fate 

28 



A TEXAS EANGER 

would be sealed if they caught me. Suddenly, 
to my great horror, I felt myself caught 
around one arm by such a powerful hand that 
my progress was instantly arrested, and I was 
swung about as though I were on a pivot. 
Before I realized what had happened I heard 
a drawling voice say: 

" You seem to be in a hurry, friend ; where 
are you bound for?" 

My captor was a superb-looking fellow. He 
was over six feet in height, and built like an 
athlete. His handsome, manly face was smil- 
ing good-naturedly. His mouth was hidden 
by an enormous drooping light moustache, 
but his blue eyes twinkled in evident enjoy- 
ment of my discomfiture. 

Pie wore a big, wide-brimmed white felt 
hat and a richly embroidered buckskin 
Mexican jacket, and he was puffing a cigar- 
ito. 

"Let me go! Let me go!" I cried. *'A 
crowd of Mexicans are after me, and if they 
catch me, they'll kill me." 

*' What do they want you for ?" he asked, 
in his drawling, amused tone. 

*' I hit one of them; and " 

" Oh, well, I reckon we can stand 'em off," 
he said. *'Here, take this gun, an' use it." 

29 



A TEXAS RANGER 

As he spoke he handed me a six-shooter. 
By this time the advance runners of my 
pursuers had nearly reached the spot where 
we stood, under the flaring lamp in front of 
a saloon. My new friend whipped out the 
mate to the revolver he had given me, and 
fired straight at the rapidly approaching 
men. They turned, instantly, and ran the 
other way. I think they went a little faster 
than they had come. Then the big man, 
who had so strangely come to my rescue, 
smiled again, in his quiet way, and, putting 
up his six-shooters, said : 

** Come in and have a drink ; it'll do you 
good." 

*' Hadn't I better get over to Texas?" I 
inquired, anxiously; "those Mexicans may 
come back here at any moment." 

**0h, I guess they ain't in any hurry to 
come back, yet awhile," he answered. " If 
they do, we can have some more fun with 
'em." 

So I went into the saloon with him and 
took a drink of the vilest whiskey that ever 
passed my lips. I got away as soon as I 
could, and reached the ferry and the Texas 
side of the river without further adventure. 
Not, however, until I reached Ross's wagon, 

30 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

which he had put up in a wagon -yard, did I 
feel quite safe. 

The name of my friend in need was 
Thompson — Bill Thompson. He was a 
brother of the notorious Ben Thompson, the 
desperado marshal of Austin, Tex., who, 
with King Fisher, another desperado, was 
killed in San Antonio one night by William 
H. Simms, whom they attacked. But I shall 
tell their story further on. Bill Thompson, 
at the time he helped me, was a fugitive 
from justice, charged with killing a man in 
Kansas. There was a reward on his head of 
$500. In another place I shall also tell how, 
as a Texas Ranger, I was able to repay Bill 
Thompson for what he did for me that night. 



31 



CHAPTER III 

I Become a Quartermaster's Clerk for a Brief Season — 
United States Commissioner Peterson — His Duel- 
ling and Other Traits — Arrested bj Mexicans — The 
Tables Turned — Peterson's Revenge — Mexicans 
Charged with Smuggling — Heavy Bail Required — 
General Exodus of Mexicans. 

JoHJ?" Ross met with many disappointments 
in Laredo in his attempt to start a market- 
garden, and in the end gave it up. In the 
meantime my money was used up, and when 
at last we found the scheme was a failure 
I was down to my last ten dollars. I saw 
that I should have to look about for some 
way in which to make a living, and the out- 
look in that town of Mexicans was not 
bright. 

I made the acquaintance of all the white 
men in the town, however, and among 
others I came to know a certain lieutenant 
of the Twenty-fourth Infantry, two com- 
panies of which regiment were stationed at 
Fort Mcintosh, about a mile from Laredo 

33 



A TEXAS RANGER 

and above it, on the Rio Grande. The lieu- 
tenant was the Quartermaster of the post 
and had an office in Laredo. He came to it 
from the post every morning. I heard he 
was in need of a clerk and I applied for the 
place. I was probably the only applicant he 
had, for he took me immediately. 

I soon learned the routine of the office and 
found the work easy. But I did not keep 
the place long. The Quartermaster, like 
many other officers stationed at remote fron- 
tier posts, was not quite so abstemious as he 
might have been. In the mornings he was 
always quite sober, but after he went to 
luncheon he wasn't. One afternoon he 
signed a number of reports which I had 
prepared, and told me to send them off. He 
did not so much as glance through the re- 
ports when he signed them, in an unsteady 
hand, and I was not certain they were cor- 
rectly made out. I was new to the business 
and did not want to get into trouble my- 
self nor to get him into trouble, so I held the 
reports until the following morning, with 
the idea that he would look them over when 
he was fresh and clear-headed. That was 
where I made a mistake. He was furiously 
angry when I delicately hinted, the next 

33 



A TEXAS RANGER 

morning, that he had been slightly under the 
influence of intoxicants the day before. 

''Make out a voucher for your pay to date, 
instantly, sir," he said, gruffly. "You are 
grossly impertinent, sir." 

I did not think I had been impertinent in 
trying to avoid trouble for him, but he would 
listen to no explanation, and I had to go. 

There was one curious thing which hap- 
pened while I was a quartermaster's clerk and 
which may be worthy of brief mention. In 
the same building with the Quartermaster's 
office was the store-room of the commissary 
department. It was filled with all sorts of 
canned goods and glass jars containing pre- 
serves, jams, pickles, butter, and fancy 
groceries of many kinds. One day word 
came that the Inspector-General was about 
to pay the office a visit. The Quartermaster 
received the letter and gave it to me to file. 
He told the Commissary-Sergeant about it. 

About an hour later there was a great 
crash in the store-room next to the Quar- 
termaster's office. We ran in to see what 
was the matter, and found that all the 
shelves on one side of the room had broken 
down, carrying with them the glass jars. 
Butter, pickles, preserved fruits, jams, olives, 

34 



A TEXAS HANGER 

and the like lay in a heap on the floor, mixed 
up with broken glass. When the Inspector- 
General arrived, the next day, he looked 
long and earnestly at the wreck and then 
condemned the whole lot to be thrown into 
the Rio Grande. The accident seemed a most 
timely one, for the Commissary- Sergeant had 
been doing a thriving little retail grocery 
business among his acquaintances, before 
the Inspector-General's visit. 

After leaving the Quartermaster's service, 
I was again thrown on my own resources, 
and it was at this time that I first met Ham- 
ilton C. Peterson, United States Commis- 
sioner at Laredo. Peterson had formerly 
been a captain in the army. He was a good 
lawyer and an expert civil engineer. He 
was the best revolver-shot I ever saw before 
or since. He was always ready to bet any- 
thing, from a drink of whiskey to a basket of 
champagne, on his marksmanship. He could 
hit a half-dollar with a pistol-ball four times 
out of five at fifty paces. 

Physically, Peterson was a fine-looking 
man. His face was handsome, and his big, 
fierce, black mustache gave the impression 
that he was a dare-devil of the most pro- 
nounced type, shading, as it did, a resolute^ 

35 



A TEXAS RANGER 

well-modelled chin. His appearance did not 
belie his character. His principal occupation, 
at the time I first made his acquaintance, was 
challenging men to fight duels. He was a 
hard drinker, and very quarrelsome when in 
liquor. Every time he had a dispute with a 
man, he would, as soon as possible thereafter, 
challenge him to fight a duel. Sometimes he 
would get me to write a challenge at his dic- 
tation. But as the fame of his marksman- 
ship had spread all over the State, his chal- 
lenges were never accepted. 

When I left the Quartermaster I went to 
Peterson and asked him if he could get me 
something to do. He said he could and would. 
He was going on a surveying trip in a few 
days, and would take me with him to carry 
a surveyor's chain and to assist him in other 
ways. Having decided this important matter 
for me, he proposed that we go and play a 
game of billiards. We did so, and it was not 
until midnight that we started for Peterson's 
little adobe, one-roomed house, to which he 
had invited me as his guest until he should 
be ready for the surveying trip. 

On the way to the room, a cat ran across 
the street in front of us. It was too good a 
chance for Peterson to miss trying his marks- 

36 



A TEXAS RANGER 

manship, and he pulled his six-shooter and 
blazed away at the cat. The animal gave a 
yowl and disappeared in the darkness. We 
continued up the street, but had not pro- 
ceeded far before we found ourselves sur- 
rounded by a number of Mexicans. With 
them was the city marshal, a stalwart young 
man named Gregorio Gonzales. His compan- 
ions were Mexican policemen. They at once 
put us under arrest for shooting in the street, 
but Peterson managed to throw his pistol 
away in the dark before they could search 
him. 

I had a sword-cane in my hand, but they 
did not know it was aught but a plain, ordi- 
nary walking-stick. Despite Peterson's pro- 
tests, they took us to the house of a magis- 
trate named Sixto Navarro, an uncle, by the 
way, of Mrs. John Ross. It was nearly one 
o'clock in the morning when we reached Senor 
Navarro's house. The magistrate said he was 
willing to let us go on our own recognizances 
until morning, but City Marshal Gonzales in- 
sisted that we be made to give bonds for our 
appearance, or else spend the rest of the 
night in the "calaboose." 

*'But I am the United States Commissioner, 
and you know I am not going to run away," 

37 



A TEXAS RANGER 

said Peterson. '' Let this young man and me 
go for the night and I give you my word of 
honor that we will be on hand whenever you 
say in the morning." 

Seiior Navarro was willing, but Gonzales 
was obdurate, and at last Peterson had to 
send for a friend and give the required bail. 
It was fixed at 1300 each. 

As soon as we were liberated, we went to 
Peterson's room. He was as mad as a hornet. 
He lighted a lamp and began to rummage over 
a lot of papers which he took from his desk. 
At last he selected one and, turning to me, he 
said : 

** Here, my boy, I want to swear you in as 
a special deputy United States marshal. I 
have some work which must be done to-night, 
and you must do it." 

** What kind of work?" 

** Why, I want you to execute capiases on 
Gregorio Gonzales and Sixto Navarro. Na- 
varro could easily have let us go if he had 
really wanted to do it. I have affidavits here 
that both of them have been smuggling goods 
across the Rio Grande from Mexico. I will 
make out the capiases for them, and I want 
you to arrest them. You have the right to sum- 
mon as big a posse as you think you need in 

38 



A TEXAS RANGER 

making the arrests, and the capiases call for 
their bodies, dead or alive. When you have 
arrested them, bring them here and I'll show 
you some fun." 

It looked as though I was going to have 
some " fun" in the execution of those capi- 
ases. But I consented to be sworn in as a 
special deputy marshal. 

**Now," said Peterson, when he had admin- 
istered the oath, *'you go across the street 
and wake up St. Clair and his partner and 
take them along with you to help make the 
arrests." 

St. Clair and his partner were sign-painters, 
who had wandered into Laredo looking for 
work, and had been kept busy repainting the 
sacred figures in the church. The shop was 
usually half full of saints in all stages of 
dilapidation. St. Clair, whose bump of rev- 
erence was not very strongly developed, 
used one of the figures for a hat-rack, and the 
effect was startling. 

I went across the street and aroused the 
painters, who at once entered into the spirit 
of the thing, and declared they were ready to 
kill Gonzales and the whole Mexican police 
force, if necessary. As soon as they were 
dressed, we started off to find the city marshal. 

39 



A TEXxiS RANGER 

We didn't have far to go. We found him 
in a bar-room, in the middle of a graphic de- 
scription to a number of Mexicans of the way 
he had arrested Peterson and me and taken 
us before Navarro. He seemed surprised 
to see me walk in with St. Clair and his 
partner, but he was still more astonished 
when I walked up to him and, touching him 
on the arm, said : 

*'I have a capias for your arrest. My 
orders from the United States Commis- 
sioner are to take you before him, dead or 
alive. You'd better come quietly and avoid 
trouble.'' 

*'Wha — what do you want me for?" he 
gasped, while his companions looked on in 
wonder. 

" You are wanted for violating the revenue 
laws of the United States," I answered in as 
harsh a voice as I could assume. "The 
capias will explain that, if you care to read 
it." 

**But you are not an officer." 

" I am a United States deputy marshal. 
Come, I haven't time to stand here talking 
to you. I arrest you, and if you don't come 
quietly, I will use force to make you." 

He saw that I was in dead earnest, and he 

40 



A TEXAS RANGER 

had too much respect for the law to think of 
disobeying the mandate of an officer armed 
with a capias and backed by a posse and six- 
shooters. He hesitated no longer, but came 
at once, followed by the men who had been 
listening only a few minutes before to the 
story of Peterson's arrest. Peterson's oflSce 
was near by, and in a very few minutes we 
were there. The Commissioner was seated 
at his desk. He wore an expression of great 
solemnity. Entirely ignoring the presence of 
the city marshal, he turned to me and said : 

" Mr. Marshal, you will please open my 
court." 

I stepped to the door, and called out in a 
loud voice : 

" Oyez, oyez, oyez. The Honorable United 
States Commissioner's Court for the West- 
ern District of Texas is now open. All per- 
sons having business with said court draw 
near and ye shall be heard." 

I had never opened a court before, but I 
thought that was about the right thing to 
say. Having startled the night air of the 
sleeping town, I went back to Peterson's 
desk. 

**Mr. Marshal," said he, **you have 
brought a prisoner into court." 

41 



A TEXAS RANGER 

" Here he is, your Honor." 

"That man? Why, he is armed ! Disarm 
him." 

Gonzales handed me his pistol and car- 
tridge-belt with an exceeding bad grace. 

'^ Mr. Gonzales," said Peterson, turning for 
the first time to the city marshal, *'you are 
here, charged with a very serious offence 
against the revenue laws of the United 
States of America. A very serious offence, 
indeed, sir. It is, of course, impossible for 
me to give you a hearing now, at two o'clock 
in the morning, but I can put you under 
bonds at this time to appear before me later. 
As your offence is such a serious one, I 
shall have to fix the amount of your bail 
at $20,000. If you are not able to give that 
amount of bail, you must pass the night 
in the military guard-house at Fort Mc- 
intosh." 

Poor Gonzales could only stand and stare 
helplessly at the Commissioner. He knew 
Peterson was in earnest, and that he would 
do as he said. He also knew he was guilty 
of smuggling. Nearly all the Mexicans in 
Laredo at that time were smugglers. Peter- 
son had a desk full of affidavits against 
hundreds of men. The affidavits were usu- 

42 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ally made by those having a grudge against 
the offenders. Peterson seldom did anything 
in these cases, but he carefully kept the 
affidavits. He thought they might be useful 
some time. This was one of the times. 

" Mr. Marshal," said Peterson to me, after 
flooring Gonzales with the twenty-thousand- 
dollar-bail proposition, '^you will now go 
and execute the other capias. I will be re- 
sponsible for this prisoner until your re- 
turn." 

Taking my posse with me, I went at once 
to the house of Don Sixto Navarro. He had 
gone to bed, and we had some difficulty in 
arousing him. When we at last succeeded, 
and I showed him the warrant for his arrest 
he was greatly excited. There was nothing 
to do but come with me, however, and he 
accordingly dressed himself and came. 

At Peterson's office the same action was 
taken as in the case of Gonzales. Navarro 
was told he must give $20,000 bail or go to 
the guard-house for the night. He started 
to protest that the amount was excessive, 
but Peterson said he was the best judge of 
that, and would not reduce it one cent. 

'^You may send for bondsmen, if you 
wish," said the Commissioner, ** but you 

43 



A TEXAS RANGER 

must hurry, as I do not propose to stay up 
much longer on this matter." 

In ten minutes a dozen Mexicans were 
scurrying all over the town, waking up the 
wealthy men and explaining what was 
wanted of them. In half an hour Peterson's 
office was crowded with the richest mer- 
chants in Laredo. He was exceedingly par- 
ticular as to who went on the bonds of 
Gonzales and Navarro, and it was not until 
after four o'clock that the prisoners were 
allowed to depart. They were to appear for 
a hearing before Peterson at ten o'clock that 
morning. The hour set for our appearance 
in the court of Magistrate Navarro was nine 
o'clock. 

After the last Mexican had gone, Peterson 
told me to go to the door and adjourn court. 
I did so, and when I turned back to him, he 
was roaring with laughter. 

" I'll turn the old town upside down," he 
said, as he began to sort over a big quantity 
of affidavits on his desk. ** These affidavits 
will stir things up. I couldn't convict on 
them, but I can do a lot of scaring. Some of 
them are two years old, but I guess they are 
fresh enough for my purpose." 

We lay down and went to sleep then, but 

44 



A TEXAS RANGES 

arose in time for our appearance in iNavar- 
ro's court at nine o'clock, and hurried to the 
office. The little room was crowded to suf- 
focation. The mayor, the sheriff, the county 
judge, and nearly all the most prominent 
citizens and merchants were there. Our ar- 
rival was the signal for a cessation of the 
buzz of excited voices and the crowd made 
way for us to pass. 

We took seats near Senor Navarro's desk. 
That gentleman looked as though he had not 
slept since we had last seen him. He seemed 
worried. He cleared his throat nervously 
and asked in a low tone whether the wit- 
nesses against us were present. There was 
no answer, and the magistrate seemed much 
relieved thereat. He braced up wonderfully 
and, smiling at Peterson and me, said pleas- 
antly : 

*' Gentlemen, you see there are no wit- 
nesses against you ; I shall have to dismiss 
the case." 

All this had evidently been arranged be- 
forehand, to propitiate the Commissioner, 
but they little knew the man with whom they 
had to deal. Peterson merely shrugged his 
shoulders and asked me to go to breakfast 
with him. He took not the slightest notice 

45 



A TEXAS KANGER 

of the numerous greetings of ^'Buenos dias, 
Senor ; como estd V. ?" which met his ears 
continually. We had breakfast in a little 
restaurant and then went to Peterson's office. 

A large crowd had congregated in the 
street in front of the office, awaiting our ar- 
rival. As soon as the office was opened, it 
was completely filled with men, and -many 
were unable to get in for want of room. I 
opened court, and Gonzales and Navarro were 
told to stand up. Peterson looked at them 
very seriously and then said in a stern 
voice: 

** I am not prepared, right now, to give 
you a hearing and will put it off in each case 
for two weeks more. In the meantime, I 
shall require you to renew your bonds in 
the sum of twenty thousand dollars each, 
or you may go to the guard-house, as you 
please." 

Immediately after saying this, the Com- 
missioner turned to me, and in a loud, dis- 
tinct voice said : 

" Mr. Marshal, you will find a number of 
warrants on my desk. Select those for the 
mayor, the sheriff, and the most prominent 
merchants and execute them at once. I pro- 
pose to put a stop to this smuggling, and the 

46 



A TEXAS EANGBR 

best way to doit is to begin at the top and 
take the big men first." 

This bombshell had an immediate effect. 
The crowd in the office began to thin out 
rapidly. The mayor and the sheriff disap- 
peared ; so did the prominent merchants. 
The others were not long in following, and 
in a few minutes Peterson and I were alone. 
I was looking over the capiases and selecting 
some of them, according to the Commission- 
er's instructions, when he said : 

" Oh, don't bother with those things. I 
only wanted to frighten them a little and 
teach them not to interfere with me." 

He had done so very effectually. The ac- 
cused men went over into Mexico as quickly 
as they could get there. When Peterson 
learned of this, he was so tickled that he im- 
mediately went on a spree. Then he sent a 
telegram to the Galveston Neivs, of which 
newspaper he was an occasional correspond- 
ent. The telegram read in this way : 

''Laredo set on fire. The mayor, sheriff, 
and big merchants have skipped to Mexico 
to avoid arrest. Particulars later." 

Unfortunately, he was not in a condition 
to send the later particulars, and so the Gal- 
veston News came out the next morning with 

47 



A TEXAS EANGER 

a startling article based on the brief tele- 
gram. The headlines of the article read : 

LAREDO ON FIRE. 



TERRIBLE CONFLAGRATION ON THE RIO GRANDE 



THE SHERIFF AND MAYOR OF THE CITY SUPPOSED TO BE 
THE INCENDIARIES 



THEY AND THEIR PALS HAVE FLED TO MEXICO 



EXCITEMENT ON THE BORDER 



48 



CHAPTER IV 

Off on a Sm-veying Trip — Appointed Chief of Po- 
lice — " Gringos " and " Greasers " — Origin of 
the Term " Gringo " — My First AiTest — An Un- 
popular Proceeding — Shot at Five Times in One 
Night — The Diaz-Lerdo Struggle in Mexico — 
Battle on the Rio Grande — United States Colored 
Troops to the Front — A Little Artillery Practice. 

Peterson and I left town early the next 
morning to go on the surveying trip. He 
was to lay out some homestead sections 
on the Nueces River, about sixty miles from 
Laredo. It seemed to me a queer country 
for anyone to select for a home. The only 
trees were a few scattered live oaks and 
mesquite, the latter being utterly useless, ex- 
cept for firewood. Prickly pears grew in 
abundance. So did rattlesnakes. We were 
three weeks on the trip. Part of the time I 
carried a chain and the rest a red flag. 

It was hard work and very exciting. The 
excitement consisted in killing rattlesnakes. 
We killed, on an average, three snakes to 

49 



A TEXAS EANGER 

the mile. We saved their rattles, and when 
we went back to Laredo, Peterson put them 
in a cuff-box. They completely filled the box. 
It was on this trip that I learned what a 
wonderful shot Peterson was with the revol- 
ver. One day he killed five '^cotton-tail'* 
rabbits without reloading his six-shooter, 
and he was riding a fractious horse at the 
time. ITever before or since have I seen such 
marvellous shooting, and in my ten years of 
far Western life I have met some splendid 
marksmen. 

When we returned to Laredo I continued 
to act as a deputy United States marshal. I 
did not serve any more capiases on promi- 
nent Mexican citizens, but I did capture 
some smugglers in the act of bringing duti- 
able articles across the Rio Grande. I took 
as "prizes" a cartload of Mexican sugar and 
three barrels of mescal. As there are about 
five fighting drunks in a quart bottle of 
mescal and subsequently five splitting head- 
aches, my capture was of direct benefit to 
humanity. 

Seizing contraband goods was a precarious 
way to make a living, however, and I soon 
saw that I should have to obtain some stead- 
ier and more remunerative employment. 

50 



A TEXAS EANGER 

The unpopularity of the work was another 
drawback. As seven-tenths of the people 
were smugglers, either chronic or occasional, 
I was not exactly a favorite with them. I 
went to Peterson and resigned. 

*'How would you like to be on the police 
force?" he asked. *' We ought to have at 
least one American on the police here, and, 
if you want to try it, I will get the appoint- 
ment from the mayor for you." 

I said I] would try it, and he sent me with 
a note to the mayor. Peterson's influence 
with the authorities since his threat to put a 
stop to the smuggling would have made a 
Tammany leader in New York turn pale 
with envy. 

The mayor read the note and at once ap- 
pointed me chief of police ! 

To do this he had to depose a Mexican, but 
he would have turned out his own brother if 
he had thought he could please Peterson by 
so doing. I assumed my new duties at once. 
I hadn't a very clear idea of what they were, 
but I knew I had them to perform and that 
there was money to be made in doing it. I 
received $2.50 from the town for every arrest 
that I made, and $1 a day was allowed me for 
every prisoner in the '' calaboose," as the jail 

51 



A TEXAS EANGER 

was called. As it cost me but forty cents a 
day to board each prisoner, there was a clear 
profit of sixty cents a day. This system was 
certainly open to criticism, as it encouraged 
the policemen in making as many arrests as 
possible. 

I had ten Mexicans under me on the police 
force. They detested me from the begin- 
ning, partly because I had been the cause of 
the ousting of their former chief, but mainly 
because I was a ** Gringo." The Mexicans 
on the border called all Americans *' Grin- 
gos." The Americans retaliated by calling 
the Mexicans ** Greasers." The origin of the 
term " Gringo" is curious. There is a legend 
that, in the early days of the Mexican border, 
a Scotchman made himself unpopular there 
by overreaching the natives, and it is said 
that this man was in the constant habit of 
singing 

"Green grow the rushes, O." 

The Mexicans couldn't call him ** Green 
grow," but they came as near to it as their 
tongues could twist the words and called 
him ** Gringo." Prom that time the nick- 
name gradually became a generic term in 
speaking of all Americans. 

52 



A TEXAS SANGER 

I had not been at the head of the Laredo 
police force two days before stories of vague 
threats having been made by some of the po- 
licemen under me began to reach my ears. 
I was young and did not pay much atten- 
tion to the threats. I reasoned that if the 
men should become openly hostile I could 
easily dismiss them from the force. There 
was no civil-service-reform nonsense about 
the city government of Laredo. 

The third day after my appointment I 
made my first arrest. The mayor had given 
me a silver badge, which I put on my coat. 
I had a .45 calibre six-shooter in a holster, 
slung to a cartridge-belt about my waist, 
and I was impressed with the sense of my 
own dignity and appearance. On this day 
of my first arrest, I was walking quietly 
down the street when I saw a Mexican 
standing on the corner. He was giving a 
series of wild yells, and as I approached 
I saw that he was very, very drunk. I went 
up to him and grasped his arm to lead him 
to the ** calaboose." He looked at me in 
blank amazement for a moment and then 
jerked his arm away. Before I could get 
hold of him again, he reached down to his 
boot-leg and, drawing a big knife, made a 

53 



A TEXAS RANGER 

savage pass at me with it, and I retreated 
a couple of steps. I drew my revolver, 
cocked it, pointed it at his head and told 
him to drop the knife and hold up his 
hands. To my utter astonishment he did 
nothing of the kind. He backed slowly 
away. 

I did not want to shoot him, nor did I 
care to get so close to him that he could use 
his knife on me. I was in a quandary. He 
backed up to a grocery store and then turned 
suddenly and ran inside. I ran in after him. 
There were half a dozen persons in the store, 
and when they saw me rush in with a re- 
volver in my hand they dodged down behind 
the counter and boxes and barrels. The man 
I was after darted out through a rear door. 

Before I could follow him, two women ran 
up to me and threw their arms about my 
neck. They held tightly to me in this em- 
brace, screaming as loud as they could. I 
attempted to explain the circumstances to 
them, but my knowledge of their language 
was slight, and not at all equal to exciting 
occasions like this. When I finally did get 
into their heads the fact that I was a police 
officer and only wanted to arrest the man 
for drunkenness, he had disappeared. 

54 



A TEXAS RANGER 

I was mad clear through then. I went at 
once to the policemen on my force, and or- 
dered them to hunt up the drunken man. 
They did not seem very anxious to obey, 
but I spoke imperatively and they started 
out on the search. I took one of them 
with me, and we began a hunt in that 
part of the town where I lost the man. We 
found him late in the afternoon, asleep 
in a little adobe house belonging to one of 
his friends. We went in and arrested him 
and took him to the *' calaboose," but he 
fought like a tiger all the way. The next 
morning he had to pay a line of $10. 

This incident, although small in itself, led 
to more important results. The man whom 
I arrested was a great favorite with his na- 
tive townsmen, and I did not make a bid 
for popularity in taking him to jail. One 
night a week later I was shot at in the 
street. I heard the bullet whistle by my 
head and hit the door behind me with a thud. 
I ran toward the place whence the report of 
the pistol had come, but could find no one 
there. The streets were very dark. 

Half an hour later I was shot at again. 
Once more I failed to find the man, who had 
fled, although I hunted diligently. It was 

55 



A TEXAS EANGER 

getting very uncomfortable. That night I 
was shot at five times. I told my police- 
men about it, and they apparently made 
great efforts to find the man or men. 

There was something in the way they 
went about it, however, that aroused my 
suspicions, and I at last came to the conclu- 
sion that they were in sympathy with my 
unknown assailant. Indeed, I was not sure 
it was not one of my own men who had been 
firing at me. Be that as it may, I decided I 
had had enough of chieftainship, and the 
next day went to the mayor and resigned. 

He accepted my resignation without hesi- 
tancy. He did not ask me why I resigned, 
nor did he ask me to remain on the force. I 
collected something more than twenty dol- 
lars for the time I had been chief of po- 
lice. It did not take me long to spend that 
money, and once more I found myself with- 
out funds or prospect of getting any. 

It was at this time that General Porfirio 
Diaz was leading the revolution in Mexico 
against the Government under President 
Sebastian Lerdo. There were several small 
"battles" in ITueva Laredo, and the inhabi- 
tants of Laredo watched them with interest 
from the bluffs of the Rio Grande on the 

56 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Texas side. The battles were tame affairs, 
as viewed from an American stand-point. 
They were not very bloody, but it was inter- 
esting to watch them, and all the inhabitants 
of Laredo made it a point to go down to the 
river-front every time firing began on the 
other side. The river was less than a half a 
mile wide at that point. 

One morning we were awakened by the 
sound of firing over in Mexico. It began 
with two or three savage volleys, and con- 
tinued with a pattering fire, as of raindrops 
on the dead leaves in a forest. It meant that 
another battle was in progress, and I dressed 
as rapidly as I could and hurried down to the 
banks of the Rio Grande. 

Many people were there watching the fight 
for the possession of the Mexican town. 
The Lerdists, or Government party, had 
been in possession of Nueva Laredo for 
about two weeks, and now the revolution- 
ists were attacking them. Should the revo- 
lutionists be victorious and drive the Lerd- 
ists from the town, it meant a dead loss to 
the merchants there. When the Lerdists 
had captured the place, in accordance with 
the regular custom of Mexican warfare — 
on the frontier at least — they had lost no 

57 



A TEXAS EANGER 

time in levying a prestaino. In other words, 
they forced the merchants to pay them a 
large sum of money. The revolutionists did 
the same thing once or twice earlier in the 
game. 

As a matter of fact, both forces on the 
frontier were composed of unscrupulous 
bandits who only engaged in the war for the 
money they could force from the merchants 
If the revolutionists won the town again 
they were certain to make the merchants 
once more go down into their pockets. There 
were about two hundred men on a side in 
this fight. Those in possession of the town 
had built barricades across the streets. 
Some of them fought from behind these bar- 
ricades, and others went to the house-tops 
and fought from there. On nearly all the 
flat-roofed houses were raised edges which 
served admirably for battlements. 

The opposing forces had been fighting for 
about four hours that day, without killing 
more than two or three men on each side, 
when it was learned that stray bullets had 
come over to our side of the river, and 
wounded two women and killed a boy who 
was standing in front of his home in La. 
redo, watching the fight. I reported this 

58 



A TEXAS EANGER 

to United States Commissioner Peterson, 
and he sent word to the commanding officer 
at Fort Mcintosh. This officer was Major 
Henry C. Merriam, later a general in the 
United States Army. 

Major Merriam at once sent a squad of the 
Twenty-fourth Infantry (colored troops) into 
Laredo with an old brass muzzle - loading 
twelve-pounder, the only piece of artillery at 
the fort. This cannon was placed on a piece 
of high ground near the bluff which over- 
hung the river. 

There it was pointed straight at the Mexi- 
can town, half a mile or less away. This 
proceeding interested the Mexican citizens 
of Laredo so much that a crowd of them 
gathered around the colored soldiers and 
looked at the gun with great curiosity. They 
had little or nothing to say, but they did not 
seem pleased. This feeling of disapproval 
was so evident, indeed, that all the Ameri- 
cans in the town were quietly supplied with 
muskets and ammunition from the fort, as 
a matter of precaution, should it become 
necessary to proceed to actual hostilities. 

Major Merriam would take no further re- 
sponsibility, however, and said that he would 
only act under the instructions of the United 

59 



A TEXAS RANGER 

States Marshal or his deputy. Peterson said 
that I was the only United States deputy 
marshal in the town and would have to take 
charge of affairs. 

This was interesting for a youth who had 
only a short time before left the peace and 
quiet of Philadelphia ; but, with a supreme 
confidence in myself, born of inexperience 
and tickled vanity, I assumed the responsi- 
bility without a protest. But I resolved to 
take no action without consulting Peterson. 
How I came to be so modest as that has 
escaped my memory. By Peterson's advice, 
I notified a number of men to act as a posse, 
among them St. Clair and his partner. 

With St. Clair, I went down the river bank 
to the ferry landing and waited for the boat 
to be punted over from Mexico. By advice 
of Peterson, I was going to leave St. Clair at 
the landing with orders to detain any man 
who should attempt to cross to the other side 
of the river with arms. 

The ferry landing was under the bluff on 
which the cannon was planted, but a little 
further down the river. We had hardly 
reached the place before we heard the " zip" 
of a bullet as it sped by our heads. In an- 
other moment the sound was repeated. Then 

60 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

we heard three or four bullets come hum- 
ming by us in quick succession. Although 
perfectly aware of the futility of such action, 
I could not refrain from ducking my head a 
little whenever I heard a bullet pass. It is 
as natural to do that as it is to close one's 
eye to avoid something flying into it. 

" They certainly must be firing at us from 
across the river," I said to St. Clair ; '' those 
can't be accidental shots." 

*' Right you are, my boy," he answered ; 
*' and the quicker we get away from here, 
the healthier it will be for us." 

We looked across the Rio Grande, and 
two or three more bullets sang by us. One 
struck in the water in front of us. By this 
time we had detected a little puff of smoke 
rising from the bushes that fringed the bluff 
on the opposite bank. I quickly raised the 
Winchester rifle borrowed from Peterson, 
and flred at a point a little under the smoke. 
A moment later a perfect shower of bullets 
came by us and we did not linger longer in 
that vicinity. We didn't exactly run, but 
we certainly did not waste any time getting 
away. 

But I was glad I fired that shot, and I 
hoped it did some damage. It tickled me to 

Cl 



A TEXAS KANGER 

think that I had fired the first shot from 
the United States at Mexico, in what I was 
beginning to imagine would be a war be- 
tween the two countries. Once more I must 
remind the reader that I was extraordinarily 
young and inexperienced in those days. 

When we reached the top of the hill 
where the gun was placed, we found a 
young lieutenant in charge. His name, I 
believe, was Glendenning. I told him that 
we had been fired upon from Mexico, and I 
added that, in my opinion, a cannon-shot 
would have a salutary effect about that 
time. 

** Oh, I hardly think it was anything more 
than a few stray bullets," said the lieuten- 
ant. 

'*I am positive they were firing at us," 
said I. 

" Oh, I don't believe they would do that,*' 
said he. " It must have been stray bullets." 

Before I could answer him, the familiar 
sound of the bullets as they hummed by our 
ears made the officer duck his head and 
jump for safety behind a little adobe house 
close by. Arrived at this shelter, he 
straightened up, threw out his chest, and 
shouted in a commanding voice : 

63 



A TEXAS EANGER 

" Put a shell over that town ! " 

It was beautiful to see the way those col- 
ored soldiers in Uncle Sam's blue uniforms 
sprang to their positions and made ready to 
fire the twelve-pounder. They moved like 
clock-work. Most of the Americans of the 
town were on the spot by this time, and 
with the greatest interest they watched the 
loading and aiming of the gun. Then the 
gunners fell back a few steps, and the next 
moment the cannon boomed its defiance to 
Mexico. 

As a shell went screeching over the Rio 
Grande and burst right above the town of 
Nueva Laredo, all the Americans gave a 
loud cheer and flung their hats into the air 
and shook hands with each other, and 
laughed and danced for joy. You see, there 
was no great love, at any time, on that bor- 
der between the Americans and the Mexi- 
cans, and the idea of a fight was soothing 
and pleasant to the white men there, out- 
numbered as they were. 

The hundred or so of Mexicans who were 
near the gun did not cheer or look pleased. 
They were silent, and seemed very serious. 

"Now, men," cried the young lieutenant, 
** I want you to put a shell or a solid shot 

63 



A TEXAS RANGER 

over into that town for every bullet that 
conies this way." 

Again the Americans cheered and yelled 
with pure joy. Foolish? Yes, very, very 
foolish, but wholly delightful in its patriot- 
ism. There were enough Mexicans in those 
two towns to have massacred every Ameri- 
can there, soldiers and all, in fifteen min- 
utes. There were only about thirty soldiers 
at the fort. Counting every one, there were 
not more than eighty Americans who could 
be relied upon in a fight. The Mexican 
population of the two towns was about five 
thousand. 

But the bullets stopped coming our way. 
Indeed, the Mexican forces across the Rio 
Grande were so taken by surprise by the 
introduction of artillery into their "battle" 
that they stopped fighting, as though by 
mutual consent. 

There was a sudden clattering of hoofs 
down the street, and, in a minute, Major 
Merriam dashed up to the gun on his horse. 

" By whose orders did you fire that gun? " 
he demanded, as the lieutenant saluted. 

"Well, sir," said the young officer, "they 
were firing at us from across the river, and 
— and this young man, the deputy marshal, 

64 



A TEXAS KANGER 

asked me to fire, so I gave orders to send a 
shell or a solid shot over there for every bul- 
let that should come this way." 

**I told him to fire, sir," I added. 

Major Merriam. put his hand to his mouth 
to conceal a smile. Then he said gravely : 

*^ You have done perfectly right, gentle- 
men. I have just received orders from San 
Antonio to do exactly what you have done." 

Our attention was attracted at this mo- 
ment to a row-boat which put out from the 
Mexican bank of the river. Someone in it 
was holding a white flag and waving it to 
attract attention. The boat came half way 
across the river and stopped. Major Merriam 
studied it for a few minutes with the aid 
of field-glasses. Then he dismounted and 
walked down to the river bank, followed by 
an orderly. 

They got into a boat and were rowed out 
to where the other boat had stopped. There 
they found the Comandante of the Lerdist, 
or Government, party. The Comandante 
demanded to know why his city was bom- 
barded by the United States authorities. 
Major Merriam told him the reason, and 
further informed him that if the bullets con- 
tinued to come over into Laredo he would 

65 



A TEXAS EANGER 

knock the Mexican town down about his ears, 
or words to that effect. 

" If you must fight a battle over there," 
said Merriam, "you must contrive to do it 
as they fight on the stage — sideways. It 
won't do to shoot into the audience." 

The boats separated and returned to their 
respective shores. A quarter of an hour 
later, the '' battle " was raging merrily again, 
but the combatants seemed to have actu- 
ally taken the Major's advice and were doing 
their fighting in such a way as to prevent 
bullets flying over into Texas. 

Now, although this was doubtless highly 
satisfactory to Major Merriam, it was too 
tame altogether for the more adventurous 
spirits among the Americans. The firing of 
that old cannon had aroused their patriotism 
and they wanted to hear it boom some more. 
A few of us consulted together over the 
situation, and hit upon a plan to have some 
more fun. 

We quietly stole down to a crevice in the 
bluff on the Texas side of the river, where 
we could not be seen by the American sol- 
diers. Then we began to fire over into 
Nueva Laredo. This soon brought a return 
fire, some of the Mexicans shooting at the 

66 



A TEXAS RANGER 

gunners on the bluff. In another minute the 
cannon was roaring again, and this time a 
solid shot knocked down a little house in 
the Mexican town. Next, a shell was sent 
over, and it was quickly followed by a solid 
shot. 

By carefully putting in our rifle-shots 
where they would do the most good and so 
drawing a return fire to the cannon, we 
managed to keep up hostilities all the after- 
noon, and neither Major Merriam nor the 
young lieutenant and his soldiers knew that 
we were the cause of it. 

Toward nightfall the revolutionists were 
driven back from the town by the Lerdists. 
We learned afterward that their entire loss 
was two men killed and five wounded ! Of 
course, when they stopped their battle we 
ceased firing on them and the cannon was 
silent. 

Strange as it may seem, this bombardment 
of a Mexican town by United States troops 
did not lead to any international complica- 
tions. The reason for this probably was 
that the Mexican Government had its hands 
full taking care of its domestic troubles. 
Diaz, as everyone knows, finally succeeded 
in overthrowing the Government, and on 

67 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

May 5, 1877, became President of the Repub- 
lic. 

One curious incident in connection with 
the bombardment of the town by the United 
States soldiers was that the most damage 
done was to the United States Consul's house 
in Nueva Laredo. Part of one of the shells 
tore through his roof, and continued right 
down through the house to the cellar. Luck- 
ily, it did not hit anyone on the way. As the 
Stars and Stripes were flying from the build- 
ing at the time, the consul thought the at- 
tack on his house was inexcusable. The 
Mexicans looked upon it as a huge joke. 



68 



CHAPTER V 

Quarrel with Peterson — I Join the Mexican Eevolution- 
ists — From the Frying-Pan into the Fire — Mexican 
Marksmanship — Slaving for Hard Masters — Attack 
on Nueva Laredo — How I Led a Charge, and the Ke- 
ward I Received — Back Again in Texas — " Wanted " 
for Filibustering — A Narrow Escape — The Tables 
Turned Again — Arrested — Crockett Kelly to the 
Rescue. 

The day following the bombardment I 
quarrelled with Peterson. He was intoxi- 
cated and in one of his ugly moods, and I 
was not as indulgent as I might have been, 
so that we parted on very bad terms. Curi- 
ously enough, he did not follow his regular 
practice and challenge me to mortal combat 
on the field of honor. I should have peremp- 
torily declined if he had done so. It is as well 
not to indulge a man in all of his foibles, and 
one should draw the line when it comes to 
accepting challenges from fancy pistol-shots. 

I was in another bad predicament. Ross 
and his brother had given up the market- 

69 



A TEXAS EANGER 

gardening project, and gone back to Atas- 
cosa County. I was without money, in a 
town full of enemies, and knew that as soon 
as it should be discovered that I had lost the 
friendship of Peterson my situation would be 
desperate. There was absolutely no one to 
whom I could turn, and I wisely concluded 
that I should have to get out of town. But 
that was easier determined upon than ac- 
complished. The only way for me to leave 
the place was to walk. The distance to the 
nearest town was several days' journey, and 
I was without provisions or means to procure 
any. 

While I was puzzling what to do, I met a 
little Irishman named Ryan. He was al- 
most as badly off as I. He hadn't a cent and 
he wanted to leave Laredo. But he possessed 
one decided advantage over me — every man 
in the place was not his enemy. We talked 
the matter over without coming to any defi- 
nite conclusion. We did think of applying 
to the Commissary Sergeant for rations suf- 
ficient to last us until we could reach some 
other settlement, but before we made up our 
minds to do so we received an offer which 
promised at least a living. 

A Mexican who was in sympathy with the 

70 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Diaz revolutionists told us he would see that 
we received a dollar a day if we would go 
over to Mexico and join the forces outside 
Nueva Laredo. We were in a desperate 
mood, and, consequently, accepted his offer 
without hesitation. 

He led us to a point near the Eio Grande, 
about two miles above Laredo, and left us in 
an old dugout, in a bluff near the water's 
edge. He gave us some bread and coffee, 
and told us to wait there until we heard 
from him. We waited two days, and, finally, 
were about to leave the place and go back to 
Laredo when, on the third afternoon, three 
men came to our hiding-place. They said 
they had come to guide us to the revolution- 
ists' camp across the Rio Grande. We fol- 
lowed them, and they led us to where a little 
boat was hidden farther up the stream. We 
stepped into it and were poled rapidly over 
the river. When we reached Mexico, we 
had to walk about three miles before we 
came to the revolutionists' camp. 

The camp was in the middle of a dense 
mesquite and cactus chaparral. The revolu- 
tionists numbered about three hundred men. 
It was the most villanous-looking gang I 
ever had the bad fortune to encounter. 

71 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Long association with the '* greasers" of 
the border, which I afterward had, did not 
tend to elevate my opinion of them as a 
class, but I never found any quite so bad as 
that band of revolutionists. They were 
guerillas of the worst kind. They were 
thieves, cut-throats, and cowards, and did 
not possess one redeeming feature, as we 
very soon discovered. We were not with 
them two hours before we heartily wished 
ourselves a hundred miles away. 

The man who induced us to join them 
had told us we were only wanted for our 
fighting qualities, and that we would have 
an easy time of it. He said the Mexicans 
put great store in the fighting qualities of 
Americans. After having watched the Mexi- 
cans in one or two of their '* battles," I did 
not doubt that statement in the least. Those 
men could shoot oftener in a given space of 
time without hitting anything than seemed 
credible. They may have been able to do 
some fair shooting at a target, but when it 
came to fighting, their marksmanship was 
ludicrous. Their one idea seemed to be to 
pull the trigger as often as possible and trust 
to luck. I never saw one take aim in a fight. 

When we reached the camp we quickly 

72 



A TEXAS KANGER 

discovered that we could be useful to the 
revolutionists in other ways than fighting 
their enemies. We were compelled to go a 
quarter of a mile for water, to collect wood 
for the fires, and to do all the heavy work 
about the camp, while they squatted around 
blankets and quarrelled over monte. The 
revolutionists were abnormally lazy and 
great gamblers. They all had horses — sorry- 
looking, ill-fed mustangs ; but when we 
asked for horses they laughed at us. They 
gave us each a revolver, but there it ended, 
so far as an outfit was concerned. 

For three days we worked from dawn 
until after dark for those land pirates. We 
did not get the dollar a day which had been 
promised to us. We barely got enough to 
eat. 

On the fourth day we were told they were 
going to make another attack on the town. 
Then they gave us horses, and pretty bad 
ones they were. Ryan and I did not feel 
a bit like helping those fellows to capture 
the town, but we had no recourse. We 
started with the troop just before day- 
light the next morning. When we reached 
the edge of Nueva Laredo the first faint 
light showed in the east above the horizon. 

73 



A TEXAS EANGER 

For some reason, which I was at a loss to 
understand, we did not at once begin the 
attack. We waited until the sun was up. 
Then the order to charge was given, and we 
started into town pell mell. 

As we went up a long, narrow street, the 
Lerdists, who were on the house-tops and in 
many of the windows of the houses, fired on 
us. Suddenly my horse gave a jump and 
shot ahead like a racer on the home-stretch. 
I tried to rein him in, but could not. He 
had the bit between his teeth, and was go- 
ing like the wind. Then I saw that he had 
been shot through the ear. 

By the time I discovered what ailed my 
horse I was far in advance of the revolu- 
tionists. I had never led a charge before, 
and it was not of my own volition that I led 
this one ; but I did it all the same. When 
I found I was in for it, I ceased trying 
to hold my horse back. Instead, I urged 
him to greater exertions. If there was any 
glory to be won, I thought, I might as well 
have the credit of trying to win it. So I 
pulled my revolver, and, yelling in true cow- 
boy fashion, fired at every man I saw. 

It was exhilarating and tremendously ex- 
citing, and I lost sight of the danger in the 

74 



A TEXAS EANGER 

fierce fun of the dash up that street. When 
I reached the market plaza I burst into it 
with a wild yell and started around it fast 
as I could go, while rifles blazed from every 
side. If Americans had been behind those 
rifles, I should have fallen before I had gone 
ten yards ; but, as it was, I was not touched 
by a bullet. 

I soon saw that the streets leading from 
the plaza were all barricaded, with the ex- 
ception of the one by which I had entered it. 
I had circled twice around the plaza when 
the revolutionists reached it and came after 
me, with a series of blood-curdling yells. 
Then, on my third round, I darted down the 
street by which we had entered, and every 
mother's son of those revolutionists followed 
me. All were shooting and yelling, and it 
was exciting to a rare degree. But I had 
had all I wanted of it for that time, and I 
went out of the town almost as fast as I 
entered it. 

When we were well clear of the place, I 
reined in my exhausted pony and waited for 
the others to come up. They stopped when 
they reached me, and to my extreme amaze- 
ment were loud in their praises of what they 
called my " bravery." I did not think it 

75 



A TEXAS RANGER 

would be wise to tell them that I led the 
charge solely because I couldn't help it. If 
they thought it brave to ride into a town 
and out again without accomplishing any- 
thing, that was strictly their business. 

They seemed to think that we had done 
enough for one day and we rode slowly back 
to our camp. When we reached it, I thought 
I would take advantage of my sudden popu- 
larity and demand the pay that was due me. 
I did so, and was told to go and get some 
water to make coffee. I picked up a bucket 
and called to Ryan to come with me. As 
soon as we were out of sight of the camp, I 
threw down my bucket and told Ryan I was 
going back to Texas. He followed suit, and 
we made a bee-line for the Rio Grande. We 
found a sleepy Mexican in charge of the 
boat in which we had crossed a few days be- 
fore. He declined to take us across the river 
until he should receive orders to do so from 
the leader of the revolutionists, but we tried 
the effect of a little moral suasion in the 
form of two six-shooters held at his head, 
and he poled us over to the Texas bank with 
commendable vigor. 

Once more on the soil of the United States, 
we felt that we were safe from pursuit. It 

76 



A TEXAS EANGER 

was a warm day and we had been up and 
active very early, so, following the custom 
of that country, we lay down for a siesta. Our 
couch was the grass-covered prairie and our 
covering and shelter from the sun's hot rays 
a mesquite tree. 

We slept long, for it was not until the 
sun's rays were touching the tops of the 
mesquite trees with a last golden gleam that 
we awoke. We did not reach Laredo until 
after dark. I led the way to St. Clair's 
house. When we arrived there and went 
in, St. Clair closed the door quickly and 
bolted it. 

*' Where do you fellows come from ?" he 
asked. 

"Mexico." 

" How did you get away from the revolu- 
tionists ? " 

" Walked." 

"Desert?" 

" Yes." 

" I don't blame you. But you shouldn't 
have come to this town. You were seen at- 
tacking the town over there to-day, and 
warrants are out for your arrest for filibus- 
tering. You'd better light out of this burg 
as fast as you can travel." 

77 



A TEXAS KANGER 

" Give us something to eat first. We can 
discuss the other afterwards." 

St. Clair made some coffee for us and 
toasted some jerked beef over his fire. Jerked 
beef might not be highly prized as a delicacy 
in epicurean circles of the large cities of the 
North, but as it was served to us that night, 
it seemed a dainty, fit for a king's table. 
Our appetites were sharp enough to do it 
ample justice, and St. Clair, good fellow that 
he was, seemed delighted to see us empty 
his larder. We were just finishing the last 
bit of the supper, when a loud knock came 
at the door. 

" Who's there ?" called out St. Clair. 

'* Open the door instantly," answered a 
voice which we recognized as belonging to 
Peterson. *'I have come to get two men 
who were seen to enter your house." 

**ril open my door when I please," 

cried St. Clair. ** There's no one here but 
myself." 

As he said this, he quietly opened a back 
door and motioned for Ryan and me to go 
out that way. We did not hesitate long 
about leaving, but went at once, and found 
ourselves in a yard surrounded by a high 
brush fence. As everything that grows in 

78 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Texas has a more or less wicked thorn, a 
brush fence in that part of the country is no 
slight obstacle to surmount, but this was no 
time to care for a few scratches, so over that 
thorny fence we scrambled without counting 
the cost. 

We had no sooner reached the further side 
than we heard a number of men in the yard 
behind us, and the next moment we saw a 
bright light back there. It was made by 
setting fire to a newspaper soaked with kero- 
sene. The light revealed nothing to our pur- 
suers, however, for by that time we were far 
from the place. 

That night we slept in the brush. The 
next morning we were both extremely hun- 
gry. That may seem curious, after what I 
have said of the good supper at St. Clair's, 
but it is a fact that a man is always hungry 
when he does not know where or how he 
is to get his next meal. Why this should 
be I do not know, but anyone who has 
ever been in such an unenviable predica- 
ment will bear me out in my assertion of the 
fact. 

What were we to do ? We could not stay 
out there in the brush and starve to death. 
We could not go over to Mexico and be shot 

79 



A TEXAS KANGER 

or hanged for deserting that band of rascally 
revolutionists. We could not branch out for 
ourselves and try to walk to another town, 
for the distance was too great, and we did 
not know the way. If we went into Laredo 
we should surely be arrested for filibuster- 
ing, and stand a good chance of being con- 
victed and sent to prison. We were in a 
sad quandary, but it was one from which 
we must speedily extricate ourselves. We 
discussed the situation in every light and 
finally, toward the middle of the day, we 
decided to return to Laredo and face the 
music. At least, I did ; Ryan said he would 
not return until evening. 

I went straight to a restaurant which was 
kept by an Irishman named Mclntyre, and 
ordered dinner, although I had not a cent to 
pay for it. I proposed to owe for that meal 
until I was able to pay for it, with or with- 
out the proprietor's permission. I was will- 
ing to take the chance of a little unpleas- 
antness with him for the sake of getting a 
square meal. 

Before I had more than half finished my 
dinner, mine ancient enemy, Gregorio Gon- 
zales, the city marshal, came in. He was 
after m^e and had a capias for my arrest. 

80 



A TEXAS KANGER 

When Peterson quarrelled with me he made 
friends with Gonzales, and appointed him a 
deputy United States marshal. 

*' Ah," said he, as his eyes fell upon me 
where I was seated eating my dinner. *' I 
have you at last. I have a warrant for your 
arrest." 

** That's all right," I answered, as I con- 
tinued to eat. 

"You must come right along with me," 
said Gonzales. 

Now I wanted to finish my dinner before 
going with him, and so I forthwith began to 
parley for time. 

'* What do you arrest me for ?" I asked. 

" For going over into Mexico and fighting 
with the revolutionists." 

**That isn't against the law so long as I 
didn't go across the river with arms." 

*'You can explain that to Commissioner 
Peterson, but I have a warrant for you." 

" You say you have, but I haven't seen it. 
Where is the warrant? " 

"Here it is." 

" Well, I daresay that is right enough, but 
you ought to do this thing according to law. 
You've no right to take me an inch with you 
until you read that warrant to me. I've 

81 



A TEXAS EANGER 

been a deputy marshal myself, and I know 
what I'm talking about." 

** You can read it yourself," said the Mex- 
can, offering the paper to me. 

** N'ot at all," I answered, with my mouth 
full ; *' the law compels you to read it to me. 
The United States law is very strict about 
that." 

I knew that Gonzales had an extraordi- 
nary respect for the forms of the United 
States laws, and he probably concluded that 
I was right, and that he had better be on the 
safe side, for he began to read the paper. 
He was not much of an English scholar, and 
he stumbled through the formal document 
in a way that I enjoyed hugely. It took 
him a long time to read it. When he got to 
the end I had finished my dinner. I rose 
and said that I would go with him. The 
restaurant proprietor, Mclntyre, came for- 
ward for his pay. 

" Mr. Gonzales will pay you," I said. 

Gonzales protested that he would do no 
such thing. 

" That is your affair," I said. " So long 
as I am your prisoner it is your duty to pro- 
vide for my wants. Let me go, and I'll 
pay for the dinner with pleasure ; keep me 

83 



A TEXAS EANGEK 

a prisoner, and you'll have to pay for it your- 
self." 

*' That's right," put in Mclntyre. 

With a very bad grace my captor paid the 
bill, and we left the restaurant. 

We went straight to Peterson's office. 
The Commissioner was very gracious in his 
manner toward me, but said that he would 
have to put me under $5,000 bonds to an- 
swer for crossing the Rio Grande to Mexico 
with arms and fighting against the Mexican 
Government, in violation of the neutrality 
laws. He asked me if I thought I could get 
a bondsman, and I said it was not at all 
likely. I asked permission to write some 
letters at his desk, and he granted it with 
much courtesy. He seemed to be sorry to 
see me in such trouble. 

While I was writing Ryan was brought in. 
He had been arrested as he was entering 
the town, having decided not to wait until 
evening before coming in. He was told that 
he would have to give $2,500 bail. Why my 
bail was fixed at double the amount of his I 
did not inquire. Ryan was no more able 
than I to get a bondsman, and we had a for- 
lorn prospect before us. Peterson said he 
would give us until six o'clock to get bail ; 

83 



A TEXAS EANGER 

after that hour we should have to go to the 
guard-house at Fort Mcintosh. Ryan and I 
sat in the office talking it all over, and won- 
dering what the result would be. He wasn't 
as philosophical as I — he hadn't eaten a din- 
ner — but neither of us expected much less 
than four or ^ve years in a military prison. 

As we sat talking, I happened to look out 
of the open door, and in doing so I saw a 
man whom I had met in Atascosa County. 
His name was Crockett Kelly, and he owned 
a little ranch near that of John Ross. Kelly 
was a superb-looking man and a frontier 
dandy at that time. He was tall and finely 
proportioned. His face was strong and hand- 
some. His eye was as keen as an eagle's ; 
his hair was black, and fell in long curls 
over his shoulders. He looked the border 
hero of romance, and he became a real hero 
for me that day. I hadn't known him very 
intimately in Atascosa County, but we had 
been fishing together a number of times and 
were good enough friends. The minute I 
saw him through Peterson's doorway, I felt 
that he would in some manner help me. I 
went to the door and called him. He came 
at once across the street and greeted me 
heartily. I told him what trouble I was in. 

84 



A TEXAS EANGER 

He listened gravely, and when I had finished, 
said : 

** I think I can help you, my boy. How 
much did you say was your bail ? " 

*' Five thousand dollars, and Ryan's is 
twenty-five hundred." 

*^ Well, it seems to me that is a little steep, 
but if the Commissioner will take me I'll go 
on a bond for both of you. I know you are 
not going to run away, and something may 
turn up in a day or two to get you out of the 
scrape." 

Peterson consented to take Kelly as our 
bondsman, although I was positive Kelly 
was not worth anything like the amount of 
our bail. How he satisfied Peterson he was 
good for it I did not care to inquire. I did 
ask, however, who had made the affidavit 
against us upon which we were arrested. 
Peterson showed the affidavit. It was signed 
by the man I had arrested for being drunk 
and yelling on the streets when I was chief 
of police. In the affidavit he stated that he 
had seen us crossing the Rio Grande with 
arms. This was not true ; we had been sup- 
plied with arms when we reached the revo- 
lutionists' camp, not before. 

That evening we went with Kelly to the 

85 



A TEXAS RANGER 

house of the man who made the affidavit. 
We found him in and accused him of per- 
jury. He denied it. We had a stormy in- 
terview, which was only brought to a close 
by our making him sign a statement to the 
effect that his affidavit was a series of lies 
from beginning to end. I wrote out his re- 
traction and he signed it with a six-shooter 
held to his head while he wrote. This may 
seem to have been a high-handed way of 
getting what we wanted, but in that coun- 
try, and in those days, it was not such a 
peculiar manner of doing business. The 
Revolver was King on the Texas frontier 
then. 

Peterson accepted the retraction, the next 
morning, as a withdrawal of the charges 
against us. We had no hesitancy in telling 
him how we obtained it, but the irregularity 
of our method only amused him. He tore 
up the papers and declared there was no case 
against us. When I think it all over, I feel 
confident the Commissioner never seriously 
intended to push the case, but was merely 
playing one of his practical jokes on us. 

When I visited Laredo in 1892, I learned 
that Peterson had long been dead. 



CHAPTER VI 

Again at the End of my Resources — McNelly's Rangers 
— Tlieir Youthful Aspect — I Interview the Leader — 
Disappointment — Aid from an Unexpected Quarter 
— I Join the Rangers — A " Greaser " Horse — I Make 
Friends with the Ranger Sentinels — Tom Evans and 
Charley McKinney — A Sound Sleep at Last. 



Once again I was confronted with the 
problem of how to get away from Laredo, 
and its solution was as difficult as ever. The 
more I thought it over, the more desperate 
did the predicament seem. I should have 
liked to go with Kelly, but, unfortunately, 
that was not possible, he being on his way 
on horseback to Camargo, in Mexico. Even 
if I had a horse I should not have cared to 
risk going into Mexico after my experience 
there. Ryan had obtained employment as 
a waiter in Mclntyre's little restaurant, but 
I had exhausted all my chances to make a 
living in the town and my only recourse was 
to leave it. 

But how ? The prospect of walking scores 

87 



A TEXAS EANGER 

of miles over that desolate Rio Grande 
country, alone, depending for maintenance 
upon what I could get at the widely scattered 
ranches, was not an enticing one, but I real- 
ized that I should have to come to it sooner 
or later, and the quicker I got away from 
my enemies the better it would be for me. 

I was standing on a corner one morning, 
trying to make up my mind to start on my 
perilous and lonely journey, when, looking 
up the street, I saw a troop of horsemen 
coming toward me. As they approached, 
I saw that they were Americans, and for a 
moment I thought they were cow-boys. But 
what, I asked myself, were so many cow- 
boys doing together ? I counted them as 
they rode by ; there were forty-two of them. 

And at their head rode a man who was 
surely not a cow-boy, whatever the others 
might be. This leader was rather under the 
average height and slimly built, but he sat 
so erect in the saddle and had such an air of 
command that he seemed like a cavalry of- 
ficer at the head of a company of soldiers. 

But it was easy to see these men were not 
soldiers. They were heavily armed, to be 
sure, but they wore no uniforms, and were 
nearly all beardless youths. The leader him- 

88 



A TEXAS RANGER 

self seemed not more than thirty years of 
age, although he wore a heavy dark brown 
mustache and '* goatee," which, at a first 
glance, made him look slightly older. 

I was still wondering what manner of men 
these were, when I saw the leader suddenly 
hold up his hand and, at the signal, the 
troop halted. The leader spoke a few words 
to one who rode directly behind him ; then 
he turned down a side street and galloped 
away. The one to whom he had spoken 
gave the order, ** Forward, march ! " and in 
another minute the troop had trotted far 
down the street and out of the town. Then 
I asked a Mexican who was standing near 
me if he knew what horsemen those were. 
He answered in English : 

** Why, those are McNelly's Rangers. 
They're on their way down the river." 

I needed no further explanation. Many 
times had I heard of the Texas Rangers 
since I had been in the State, and marvellous 
were the tales which had come to my ears 
concerning their reckless courage and won- 
derful riding. They were the mounted 
frontier police force of Texas and were noted 
for their deeds of daring all over the West. 
I had pictured them as bearded ruffians (go- 

89 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ing about with bowie-knives in their teeth, 
I half believed), but here they were, a lot of 
boys of my own age, and led by a captain 
not much older. I was interested. 

** Where are they going from here?" I 
asked. 

**No man can tell that," answered my in- 
formant ; *' but I have heard that they were 
expected down around Brownsville, and for 
that reason I said they were going down the 
river, but they may be just as likely going 
up the river. No one ever knows where 
they will turn up. I think they have gone 
into camp now, just outside the town. I 
know that Captain McNelly has gone to the 
hotel with his wife and daughter and son." 

I thanked the Mexican for his information 
and walked slowly away, turning over in 
my mind a new idea which he had unwit- 
tingly put into it. 

Why shouldn't I join the Rangers ? Here 
was a chance to get out of Laredo and to 
gratify my love for adventure at the same 
time. The men in the troop were of my own 
age. I was strong, and a fairly good rider. 
I had seen some little service under fire in 
the last week or so, and I was willing to see 
more in the company of my own country- 

90 



A TEXAS RANGER 

men. I resolved to apply at once to Captain 
McNelly for a place in his troop. I went 
straight to the little hotel where he was said 
to be stopping and inquired for him. He 
sent word for me to come to his room. 

I found him sitting by the window, talking 
to his sweet-faced wife. A little girl of about 
twelve years and a boy of about ten were 
near them. My experience in Laredo in the 
last few weeks had not tended to add to the 
attractiveness of my appearance. I had not 
been shaved for two weeks and my clothing 
was almost ragged. I wore a brown hand- 
kerchief knotted around my neck in lieu of 
a cravat, my legs were encased in high and 
rather shabby boots, and I carried in my 
hand a sombrero which was somewhat the 
worse for hard usage — I had been using it, 
doubled up, as a pillow in the brush. I was 
not prepared to meet a lady and her presence 
embarrassed me, but my business was with 
the captain and I did not hesitate to state it 
plainly. 

"I have come, sir," I said, **to ask you 
to take me into your Rangers. I must apol- 
ogize for my rough appearance, but I have 
had a hard experience in this country lately 
and been without money to buy food, let 

91 



A TEXAS EANGER 

alone clothes. I should like very much to 
join the Rangers, and if you'll take me, I 
believe I can give j^ou satisfaction." 

*'H'm — what's your name?" the captain 
asked as he looked searchingly at me with 
his keen blue eyes. 

I told him. 

*' You are from the North ?" 

**I am a Philadelphian, sir." 

" That's a long distance from here. What 
brought you into this country ? " 

^' I came here to try to make a little money 
and to see some wild life and adventure." 

** Well, you look as if you'd been doing the 
latter, anyhow. If you join my troop you'll 
see all the adventure you want. Can you 
ride ?" 

'' I can." 

"Very well. Come back to me at three 
o'clock this afternoon, and I'll tell you what 
I can do for you." 

This was not discouraging, for I thought 
if he had not had some idea of taking me 
he would have said so at once. I determined 
to be on hand promptly at the hour he 
named. I wandered aimlessly about town 
for an hour or so. After awhile I met St. 
Clair. 

92 



A TEXAS EA:^rGEE 

" Hello ! " he exclaimed. *^ I've been look- 
ing for you. I saw Cap McNelly, of the 
Rangers, a little while ago. He's an old 
friend of mine. He asked me about you and 
I cracked you up all I knew how. I told him 
you went over to Mexico and led the revo- 
lutionists in a charge on the town over 
there, just for the fun of the thing, and it 
seemed to tickle him. That's the kind of 
stuff he likes. I think he'll take you in his 
company." 

This was good news for me, and, as it was 
near the appointed hour, I went to the little 
hotel. The Captain was standing in the 
doorway. 

" I have decided to let you join," were his 
first words. ^* You'll have to get a horse, 
saddle and bridle, a couple of blankets and a 
six-shooter. The State furnishes your car- 
bine. You'd better ride out to our camp this 
evening, as we are going away early in the 
morning." 

Then he turned and went into the hotel. 
If he had waited to note the effect of his 
words, he probably would have been aston- 
ished, for I must have looked the picture of 
despair. If he had told me that the entrance- 
fee to his troop was ten thousand dollars in 

93 



A TEXAS EANGER 

gold, it would not have staggered me more 
than what he said about the horse, saddle, 
bridle and blankets, and, it seemed to me, 
the money would have been as easy to obtain 
at that time. I was completely disheartened, 
and walked slowly away from the hotel, in 
a desperate mood. 

I wandered up the street and entered a 
store kept by an American. I had no ob- 
ject in going into the store, except, perhaps, 
to pass away the time with the proprietor, 
who had always been rather friendly to 
me. I told him of my hard luck in having 
a chance to join the Rangers and how 
my hopes were suddenly extinguished by 
the insurmountable obstacle of being obliged 
to provide the horse and accoutrements. He 
sympathized with me, but could offer no 
suggestion to help me out of my trouble. I 
was about to leave when a voice called out 
from the other side of a canvas-wall at the 
end of the store : 

" Come in here and see me, and maybe I 
can help you out of your fix." 

I recognized the voice. It was that of one 
of the mounted inspectors of customs who 
patrolled the banks of the Rio Grande, a 
young man named Burbank. He lived in a 

94 



A TEXAS SANGER 

room partitioned off from the store by the 
canvas-wall. I had met him only casually, 
and knew nothing about him except that he 
was a remarkably fine billiard player. I went 
directly into his room when he called to me, 
and found him lounging on the bed, smoking 
a cigarette. 

" You seem to be in tough luck," he said as 
I entered. ** I've had my eye on you lately, 
and I know you'll have to get out of Laredo 
pretty quick or you'll be carried out feet first. 
I'll get you a horse and whatever else you 
need, and you may give me an order on Cap- 
tain McNelly for the amount. He can de- 
duct it from your pay." 

I started to express my gratitude, but he 
interrupted me and said : 

" That's all right ; don't say a word. I'm 
willing to help a fellow when I can, and 
this is only putting out a little money I have 
no immediate use for. Next time you see a 
chap in a hard fix, you try and help him out ; 
that's the best way to show gratitude." 

Burbank went with me to see Captain 
McNelly. The Captain said he would accept 
the order on my pay and give Burbank ^10 a 
month until the amount was all paid. Then 
Burbank and I went and bought a horse. 

95 



A TEXAS KANGER 

He was a light gray, and as pretty a pony 
as we could find. He cost $30, a high price 
for a horse in that country at the time. 
Within an hour I had everything I needed, 
and a very fine outfit it was. Burbank 
treated me to a farewell supper at the res- 
taurant. It was the first meal I had eaten 
since the preceding day. After supper I 
mounted my horse, shook hands with my 
benefactor, and rode out to the Kanger camp. 
I was more than happy to leave the town, 
for I had undergone much misery there and 
hoped never to see the place again. 

It was only about two miles from the town 
to where the Rangers were camped for the 
night. It was dark, however, when I started 
from the restaurant and so the first intima- 
tion that I had reached the camp was a voice 
calling to me through the gloom : 

*' Halt ! " 

So sudden and unexpected was this order 
that it made me pull my horse back on his 
haunches. 

"Who goes there ?" came the quick de- 
mand. 

** A friend," I answered. 

"Dismount, friend, advance and be recog- 
nized." 

96 



A TEXAS EANGER 

I threw my leg over the saddle to dis- 
mount, but as I did so my horse started vio- 
lently and dragged me forward with one of 
my feet in the stirrup and the other hopping 
along the ground. I was pulled along thus 
for at least thirty feet before I managed to 
stop my horse. 

*' Hi ! hold up ! What in are you do- 
ing ? " yelled a man, who jumped from the 
ground where he had been lying. *^Do you 
want to run over me ? " 

I extricated my foot from the stirrup 
and explained that my horse had started 
with me just as I was dismounting and had 
dragged me over the ground. 

*' He must have been ridden by a Greaser," 
commented the man whom I had so suddenly 
aroused. '^ They have a playful habit of 
giving a horse a cut with the quirt when 
they get off him, and he learns to expect this 
and tries to get out of the way. But who are 
you, anyway, and what are you doing here ? " 

** That's what I want to know," put in 
another young man, who stood by with a 
carbine in his hands. " I told you to advance 
and be recognized, but I didn't look for you 
to come on in such a devil of a hurry. Who 
are you ? " 

97 



A TEXAS EANGER 

" Fm a new recruit," I answered. *' Cap- 
tain McNelly sent me out here to join." 

** Well, if that's so, I'm glad to see you," 
said the man with the carbine. ** Shake. 
My name's McKinney — Charley McKinney. 
This man you tried to kill with that horse of 
yours just now is Evans, but he's such a big, 
ungainly brute we call him * Lumber.' " 

" Thanks, Girlie, for the introduction," said 
Evans, or " Lumber," as he was always 
known in the troop. *' You mustn't mind 
what she says," he added as he turned to me. 
*' She's young and foolish. But if you've 
come to stay, pull off your saddle and make 
yourself at home. Girlie will stake out your 
horse for you, seeing it's your first night. 
Had your supper ? Good. Well, spread 
your blankets and turn in ; we're going to 
make an early start in the morning." 

While he was talking and I taking the 
saddle off my horse, I had an opportunity to 
observe both young men. As they turned 
out to be my closest friends in the Rangers 
for the next three years, I might as well take 
this opportunity to describe them. 

Tom Evans was a native Texan, and, by 
the way, almost the only one in the troop. 
He was a giant in stature, and as strong as a 

98 



A TEXAS EANGER 

mustang. Like nearly all very large men, 
he was exceedingly good-natured and had 
one of the happiest of dispositions. It took 
a great deal to arouse him to anger, but when 
once provoked beyond endurance, he was a 
man to be feared. He was exasperatingly 
lazy, and it was his habit to sprawl at full 
length on the ground whenever opportunity 
offered. This and his great size and clumsi- 
ness were what gained for him the nickname 
of *' Lumber." When I first knew him, he 
was but nineteen years old, and had left 
school, in Austin, only about a year before. 
Like nearly all in the troop, he had joined 
the Rangers from pure love of adventure and 
excitement. He always said that he was 
destined, sooner or later, to be shot in the 
abdomen — only he didn't express it exactly 
that way. Lumber certainly offered a superb 
target in that portion of his anatomy for 
stray bullets. 

Charley McKinney was the direct opposite 
of Evans in every way. He was small and 
wiry, and as active as a wildcat. He had the 
prettiest pink-and-white complexion, the 
mildest and softest blue eyes, golden hair, 
which curled in little ringlets all over his 
head ; a Cupid's bow of a mouth, and an ex- 

99 



v^ 



A TEXAS EANGER 

pression of feminine innocence— except when 
he was on the war-path. The boys had nick- 
named him *' Girlie," which annoyed him 
exceedingly, although he strove not to show 
that he minded it. He was a general favor- 
ite, for he was of a lively, generous dispo- 
sition, had a quick wit, could tell a good 
story and sing a jolly song, and, with it all, 
he was as fearless a dare-devil as ever 
reached the Texas frontier. The man who 
attempted to impose upon Charley McKin- 
ney because of his innocent appearance in- 
variably regretted it. 

These two men were the first of the troop 
I met, and they at this day conjure up fond 
memories, although of all of my old com- 
rades in the Texas Kangers I have the most 
kindly recollections. Further on, I shall take 
up the troop in detail and show just what 
manner of men composed it. 

Within fifteen minutes after I rode into 
the camp, I lay down on my blankets 
spread out on the ground and, using my 
saddle for a pillow, soon dropped asleep. For 
the first time in many nights, I felt safe and 
free from care or worry, and slept well. 



100 



CHAPTER VII. 

The Awakening in Camp — Antics of the Eangers— Join- 
ing McKinney's " Dab " — Breakfast and Texas Coffee 
— ** Forward, March" — Duties of the Eangers — 
The Texas Desperado and His Keign of Terror — 
Mexican Bandits — How the Eangers Made Arrests — 
How They were Armed and Equipped — The Price 
of Horses. 

The first faint glimmering of dawn was 
lighting the sky in the east when I awoke 
the next morning. The awakening was 
peculiar. It began with a confused dream, 
in which I thought myself in a church 
where all the congregation were singing the 
hymn, " There's one wide river, and that 
wide river is Jordan." I remember that 
I looked about me and recognized many 
persons whom I had often seen in the 
church which I attended in Philadelphia, 
only, instead of being in that church, I 
was in a little backwoods Sunday-school in 
the mountains of East Tennessee. The sing- 
ing grew louder and louder, and at last I 

101 



A TEXAS RANGER 

awoke with a start. Even then it did not 
cease, but assailed my waking senses with 
renewed vigor. I sat up and found myself 
surrounded by fifteen or twenty Rangers, all 
of them looking at me and singing about that 
'' one wide river" as loud as they could howl. 

It surprised me not a little to see those 
wild and reckless border riders beginning 
the day so devoutly, and I looked at them 
in blank amazement. This seemed to stim- 
ulate them to greater exertions, for they not 
only continued to sing, but presently began 
to dance with a slow, measured step, as 
though they were performing some strange 
religious rite. They joined hands as they 
danced and circled around me. Gradually, 
they increased their speed until, in the end, 
they were all whirling about me in a bewil- 
dering, dizzy ring, like so many madmen. 

Of a sudden they stopped and gave a series 
of wild, blood-curdling yells, such as are 
never heard save in the far West. There, 
the men on the great silent plains feel some- 
times that they must let out their voices 
with all their power, just to break the mo- 
notony of that stillness which is one of the 
most impressive features of a seemingly lim- 
itless prairie. Having thus given vent to 

102 



A TEXAS EANGER 

their feelings in the early morning, the 
Rangers started off in various directions to 
attend to their horses and prepare breakfast, 
leaving me to recover from my astonishment 
and confusion at my leisure. 

** Did the boys wake you up?" asked a 
voice close to me. 

I looked around and saw McKinney re- 
garding me with a grin. 

" Oh, no," I answered facetiously ; *'they 
soothed me to sleep. Do they always start 
the day that way ? " 

*'Not unless there's a stranger in camp," 
he said. "Then they do it to break the ice 
of reserve which might otherwise congeal 
about him." 

*' Thanks for the explanation. The ice is 
well cracked in my case." 

'*Then you'd better go and give your 
horse some corn. You'll find a sack of corn 
in the wagon. I wouldn't give him more 
than two quarts. After you've done that, 
come back and take breakfast at my dab." 

*^ At your what ?" 

**Dab." 

'' What's a dab ? " 

** Oh, I forgot ; of course you couldn't be 
expected to know. We call the messes 

103 



A TEXAS RANGER 

' dabs,' in this outfit. There are only four 
men in our dab at present and we can easily 
accommodate another. If you want to join 
it you're welcome." 

I thanked him and told him nothing would 
give me greater pleasure than to make the 
fifth man at his dab. Then I went and at- 
tended to my horse. When I returned, I 
pitched in and helped to prepare breakfast. 
It was like any other camp breakfast in 
that country : bread, cooked in a skillet, or 
Dutch oven ; beefsteak, fried ; and coffee. 
The last was so strong that it was quite 
black. It was made by putting a pint cupful 
of ground coffee-beans into a two-quart 
coffee-pot, and boiling for half an hour. 
That coffee would have eaten a hole in a 
piece of plate glass if it had been given time, 
but everyone drank a big cupful of it, with- 
out milk, and enjoyed it hugely. 

It used to be said in Texas that the only 
way to find out whether coffee was strong 
enough to drink was to put an iron wedge 
into the coffee-pot. If the wedge floated, the 
coffee was sufficiently strong. 

We didn't try the test that morning — it 
wasn't necessary. 

As soon as we had eaten breakfast, all the 

104 



A TEXAS RANGER 

cooking utensils were packed into a box and 
put into one of the two wagons which were 
in the camp and which constituted our 
wagon-train. Then the order came to saddle 
our horses. As soon as this was done, a 
very young man with a little dark down on 
his upper lip, in lieu of a mustache, mounted 
his horse and called out : 

*^ Fall in !" 

Instantly every man swung himself into 
his saddle and began to form part of a long 
line in " company-front.'' The young man 
rode up in front of the line and said : 

" Right dress ! " 

The line became straighter. 

" Count off from right to left." 

It was done. 

** Count off by twos." 

The men counted as directed. 

"Twos right, right forward — march V 

As he pronounced the last word, he started 
off and the troop followed after him in double 
file. I found myself riding by the side of 
Charley McKinney. 

" Where are we going ?" I asked him. 

" Quien sabe 9 " he answered. *' We never 
know where we're going until we get there." 

Nearly everyone has heard of the Texas 

105 



A TEXAS SANGER 

Bangers at some time in his life, but how 
many know what the Rangers really are, or 
what are their duties ? In a general way, 
everyone knows they are men who ride 
around on the Texas border, do a good deal 
of shooting, and now and then get killed or 
kill someone. But why they ride around, or 
why they do the shooting, is a question 
which might go begging for an answer for a 
long time without getting a correct one. 

At the period of which I write, there were 
six Ranger troops in Texas. Five of these 
went to form what was known as the 
Frontier Battalion, which, at that time, was 
commanded by Major Jones, a very efficient 
and brave officer. Jones's battalion was 
mainly engaged on the upper frontier — near 
the New Mexico line — against Indian inva- 
sion. One or two of the troops in the bat- 
talion ranged over the southern edge of the 
Staked Plains, in the *' Pan Handle" of 
Texas ; the others did most of their work 
along the Rio Grande, in the neighborhood 
of El Paso del Norte. 

In addition to the battalion. Captain L. 
H. McNelly had organized an independent 
troop of Rangers. They were known offi- 
cially as "Company A, Frontiersmen." 

lOG 



A TEXAS RANGER 

This was the troop I joined. 

The duties of McNelly's troop were very 
different from those of the other Rangers. 
To McNelly's men was assigned the work of 
protecting the Texas side of the lower Rio 
Grande from the invasion of Mexican cattle- 
thieves and horse-thieves, but these Rangers 
also had roving commissions which gave 
them power to make arrests in any part of 
the State west of the Colorado River. Each 
man had virtually the authority of a sheriff, 
and even more, for the Rangers were not 
hampered by county boundaries. 

At that time, the Texas desperado was in 
the height of his glory. Large bands of these 
outlaws were organized all through Western 
Texas, and the honest, hard-working fron- 
tiersmen were completely under their rule. 
The sheriffs were wholly unable to cope with 
them. Indeed, in a number of counties the 
desperadoes were in such numbers and held 
such power that they were able to elect one 
of their own number to the office of sheriff. 
In one county they not only elected the 
sheriff, but also put in their own men as 
county judge, justices of the peace, and 
minor county officials. 

The United States troops were on the 

107 



A TEXAS RANGER 

frontier in large numbers, but they were un- 
able to subdue the Mexican and white despe- 
radoes. This was not the fault so much of 
the soldiers as it was of the military red tape 
by which they were bound. The cavalrymen 
had to be careful not to ride their horses to 
death in pursuit, and that alone was a suffi- 
cient reason for the ease with which the des- 
peradoes eluded them. 

Along the lower Rio Grande much cattle 
and horse stealing was continually going on. 
Bands of Mexicans, often under the leader- 
ship of some white outlaw, made frequent 
raids from Mexico into Texas and, gather- 
ing together all the cattle and horses they 
could handle, drove them back into Mexico. 
These men worked so systematically and 
were so perfectly organized that they suc- 
cessfully defied or eluded all attempts to 
bring them to justice. They laughed at the 
abortive attempts of the United States cav- 
alry to catch them. They could not only 
outride the cavalry — for the reason I have 
stated — but they could always escape across 
the Rio Grande when they were close pressed, 
for beyond that barrier the soldiers of Uncle 
Sam could not follow them for fear of inter- 
national complications. 

108 



A TEXAS SANGER 

The people living along the border, who 
had been harassed so long by these maraud- 
ers, made application to the State Legisla- 
ture for relief and protection. It was decided 
to put a troop of Rangers in the field. Cap- 
tain McNelly, whose fame and daring as an 
officer in the Confederate service, and later 
in the Texas State Police during reconstruc- 
tion days under Governor Davis, had spread 
from Louisiana to New Mexico, was put in 
command. There was quite a fight in the 
Legislature over the bill creating McNelly's 
troop, the legislators from the eastern por- 
tion of the State opposing it as unnecessary. 
They said that the sheriffs should be able 
to cope with any lawless persons in West- 
ern Texas, as they were in Eastern Texas. 
Finally the objectors consented to support 
the bill only upon the condition that a clause 
be inserted confining the Rangers' opera- 
tions to the country west of the Colorado 
River. No other authority than that of the 
sheriffs was needed east of that stream, they 
said. 

There came a time, it may be remarked, 
when those wise men had occasion to re- 
gret the insertion of that clause, for the 
desperadoes took advantage of it and sought 

109 



A TEXAS EANGER 

refuge in the eastern part of the State after 
we had driven them from the west. 

As I have said, much individual power was 
given to the members of McNelly's troop. 
Any member could summon all the citizens 
he wished as a posse comitatus to assist him 
in making arrests, but this was a privilege 
of which the Kangers seldom took advan- 
tage. Indeed, I do not remember ever to 
have known of an instance where outsiders 
were called upon to assist in making arrests, 
although occasionally their services were 
enlisted as guides to some desperado camp 

or stronghold. 

There was one practice of the Rangers 
which undoubtedly added much to their suc- 
cess in ridding the community of evil-doers 
— they almost invariably arrested men with- 
out warrants. The Rangers had no legal 
right to do this, but the condition of the 
country made it a sensible thing to do. Of 
course, if warrants were given to the men to 
execute, they did so, but even in such cases 
they usually had the papers tucked away in 
an inside pocket and did not display them in 
making the arrests. 

When a Ranger wanted to arrest a man his 
first action was to draw his six-shooter and 

110 



A TEXAS KANGER 

*'get the drop "on his prospective prisoner. 
It was a simple matter to take him into cus- 
tody after that, for no matter how desperate 
a man might be, he would not take the 
chances of resisting arrest when he was 
looking into the muzzle of a loaded revolver 
with a Ranger's finger playing nervously 
around the trigger thereof. 

I heard of but one man who would not 
give up when a Ranger '' had the drop *' on 
him. That particular desperado had sworn 
that he would die rather than submit to 
arrest, and he kept his oath. He did die, 
but not before he had managed to fire his re- 
volver three times at the two Rangers who 
were after him. 

The Rangers (privates), received $40 a 
month and rations. The State supplied car- 
bines and ammunition, but the men could 
choose any style of arms they preferred. 
Winchesters or Sharp's carbines were the fa- 
vorite guns, and Colt's, or Smith & Wesson's 
large-calibre six-shooters were used exclus- 
ively for small-arms. The Rangers supplied 
their own six-shooters as a matter of course ; 
for each man who joined the command 
owned and carried a revolver just as every- 
one did in Texas in the '70's. Two or three 

111 



A TEXAS KANGER 

of the men had fine breech-loading shotguns 
— very effective weapons at close quarters 
with nine buckshot to the barrel. Nearly 
every man carried a bowie-knife, but that 
was more for use in and about camp than 
for offensive or defensive purposes. 

The men had to supply their own horses 
and saddles, but if a horse was killed or used 
up in the service of the State, the State paid 
for it — and paid a rattling good price, too. I 
never heard of the State paying less than $100 
for a dead horse, and I never knew a Ranger 
to pay more than $40 for a live one. As a 
rule, $20 to $30 was the price paid. The dif- 
ference between what the State paid and 
what the Ranger paid was, of course, pure 
profit to the Ranger. I do not believe such 
was the understanding in the Adjutant- 
GeneraFs office, but I never heard of anyone 
taking pains to inquire very closely into the 
matter. 



112 



CHAPTER VIII 

Personal History of the Officers and Men of McNelly's 
Troop — Captain McNelly's Career in the Confederate 
Ai-my — Roster of the Old Troop — Few Texans in the 
Command — Lieutenant Wright — The Captain's Lit- 
tle Boy**Eebel" — Reappearance of Some Rangers 
Among Roosevelt's Rough Riders. 

Having given some idea of what the Rang- 
ers were and what were their duties, I shall, 
before going into a detailed description of 
the fights and adventures of the troop, pro- 
ceed to tell something of the personal history 
and character of the men and officers com- 
posing it. 

Our Captain, L. H. McNelly, was well fitted 
for the work he had to do. For nearly fifteen 
years he had lived in the saddle, and had done 
more than his share of hard riding and fight- 
ing in the war and during the troublous 
reconstruction times. From a number of old 
comrades of McNelly, notably Mr. W. A. 
Kerr, of Encinal, Tex., who served in the 

113 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Confederate army with him, I have gathered 
the following incidents of his career. 

McNelly was only seventeen years old when 
the war between the ISTorth and South broke 
out. He was engaged at that time in herd- 
ing sheep for T. J. Btirton, a sheep man, of 
Washington County, Tex. Captain George 
Campbell raised a company in the county to 
join Colonel Tom Green's regiment, Sibley's 
brigade, at San Antonio. Young McISTelly 
wanted very much to go to the front, but 
was such a boy that he found it difficult to 
persuade Captain Campbell to accept him. 
He at last did so, however, and so became 
a duly enlisted private in Company F, Fifth 
Regiment, Texas Mounted Volunteers, 
C. S. A. 

The first engagement McNelly was in was 
at Valverde, Mexico, just across the Rio 
Grande. Colonel Green was in command of 
the entire Confederate forces there and Cap- 
tain Joe Sayers commanded the Confederate 
battery of light artillery. Captain Sayers 
was anxious to find out the exact position 
of the Federal forces, so that he could turn 
his battery loose on them, and Green also 
wished to know their disposition. Young 

McNelly volunteered to try and get the 

114 



A TEXAS EANGER 

information, and all day long was on horse- 
back with a few men, pressing the Federal 
pickets back in order to locate the forces. 

Between the lines was open country, and 
MclJ^elly was in plain view from both sides. 
He rode all day, thus exposed, amid a storm 
of bullets. In his shirt was a book he had 
been reading, and a bullet hit this book and 
tore it to pieces, but McNelly was unhurt. 
He did very valuable service, and when the 
charge was ordered he was in the front and the 
first of all to reach the Federal battery. The 
Union forces retreated across the Rio Grande 
and McNelly led in the pursuit. 

Colonel Green commended the young sol- 
dier very highly for his good work and made 
him an aide on his staff. When Green 
returned to Texas, he took his regiment to 
Galveston and captured the Union forces 
there. McNelly was on the cotton-boat 
which captured the Harriet Lane, and was 
the first Confederate to board the Union 
boat. Colonel Green was promoted to a 
Generalship and took his command to Louisi- 
ana, and it was there that McNelly did his 
best work for the Confederacy. He was 
commissioned to raise a scouting company 
and he gathered about him a troop of reck- 

115 



A TEXAS KANGER 

less young riders and fighters. His dash and 
courage became proverbial and his exploits 
were the theme of many a camp-fire story. 

At one time he was scouting between 
Brashear City and New Orleans, after the 
forces under General Green had captured the 
former place. The young Captain had been 
sent about four miles from the main com- 
mand to scout along the railroad. He dis- 
covered a large force of Federals in the 
woods. McNelly had about forty men, and 
he found that the Federals numbered about 
eight hundred, together with nearly two 
thousand negroes who had flocked to them 
from the plantations. 

There was a long bridge about a quarter 
of a mile from the Union men. McNelly 
waited until night and then started his men 
running back and forth over the bridge, at 
the same time shouting commands for col- 
onels and generals to move up on the right 
and left. His men kept galloping and trot- 
ting over that bridge for an hour, and by that 
time the Union men were sure all the Rebs 
in the country were on them. Then McNelly 
took his forty men with him, at daylight, 
with a flag of truce to the Federal camp and 
demanded an unconditional surrender. The 

116 



A TEXAS KANGER 

Union oflBcer was sure he was surrounded by 
a greatly superior force and was glad to sur- 
render. 

McNelly and his forty men led the eight 
hundred prisoners to the Confederate lines, 
four miles off, and delivered them to Gen- 
eral Green. After that exploit McNelly, 
with his picked men of the brigade, harassed 
the enemy under General Banks continually. 
McNelly went into Fort Hudson as a spy for 
General Green and obtained valuable infor- 
mation which was used to advantage in capt- 
uring the fort afterward. 

He was a thin, pale-faced youth, but was 
very athletic. On one or two of his spying 
expeditions he was disguised as a woman. 
During the last eighteen months of the war 
he had a hundred picked men under him and 
they did superb scouting work. The Union 
men called McNelly's scouts guerillas. Mc- 
Nelly's command, his old comrades say, took 
more prisoners and killed more men than 
any regiment in Louisiana. Most of their 
work was done inside the Federal lines and 
they had a fight about every day, generally 
in the Louisiana swamps. 

In 1870 Governor E. J. Davis, of Texas, 
asked McNelly to take command of the State 

117 



A TEXAS SANGER 

Police. McNelly went to see Governor Davis 
and said to him : 

** I'm a Democrat, Governor, and you are 
a Republican." 

" Yes, I know that," said Governor Davis, 
**but Fm not looking for a politician, sir ; 
I'm hunting a soldier and a brave man for 
the place. My experience with you on the 
Mississippi, when I was in command at 
Morganza and you were on the other side, 
enables me to know you're the man I want. 
You know how I am regarded by all who 
were in your army. You were there and 
you possibly may be able to mollify some of 
my enemies in the State.'* 

McNelly consulted General Shelby and 
Buck Walton, Davis's most bitter opponents, 
and they advised McNelly to take the place 
offered him. He did so and rendered great 
service to the State, although he never suc- 
ceeded in making either his police or Gov- 
ernor Davis popular in Texas. 

McNelly was wounded but once during the 
war, but he had countless narrow escapes. 
He was literally the hero of a hundred bat- 
tles and skirmishes. 

When I knew him in the Rangers, he was 
a very quiet, reserved, sedate sort of a man, 

118 



A TEXAS RANGER 

but he always had a pleasant word for those 
under him and was greatly loved by all the 
men. I was his field-secretary for a time 
and was brought much into personal touch 
with him, and I never saw him lose his tem- 
per or heard him raise his voice in anger. 
Although the life of the Rangers was excit- 
ing enough for the rest of us, it seemed tame, 
apparently, to our Captain after his war ex- 
periences. I saw him in a number of tight 
places, as will appear later on, and a more 
cool and collected individual under fire it 
would be impossible to imagine. 

Such was our leader, and it may be believed 
that with his experience his choice of men 
to serve under him was excellent. 

For the benefit of my old comrades in the 
Rangers who are still alive and who may 
find some little pleasure in the perusal of 
these pages, I here give the roster of the old 
troop : 

Captain L. H. McNelly,* First Lieutenant 
L. B. Wright,* Second Lieutenant T. J. Rob- 
inson,* First Sergeant R. P. Orrell, Sergeant 
Linton L. Wright,* Sergeant J. B. Arm- 
strong, Sergeant George Hall,* Corporals M. 
C. Williams, and W. L. Rudd, Privates S. J. 

* Deceased. 
119 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Adams, ** Black " Allen, George Boyd, Thom- 
as Deggs, L. P. Durham, T. N. Divine, Thom- 
as J. Evans, M. Fleming, — Griffen, B. Gor- 
man, Andy Gourley, Nelson Gregory, S. N. 
Hardy, K A. Jennings, Horace Maben, 
A. S. Mackey, Thomas McGovern, John 
McNelly, Thomas Melvin, Edward Mayers, 
**Cow" McKay, Charles B. McKinney,* W. 
W. McKinney, S. M. Nichols, A. L. Parrott, 
T. M. Queensberry, Jack Racy, H. J. Rector, 
W. O. Reichel, Horace Rowe, Jesus Sando- 
val,* G. M. Scott, F. Siebert, L. S. Smith,* D. 
R. Smith,* S. W. Stanley, N. R. Stegall, T. J. 
Sullivan, G. W. Talley,* Alfred Walker, W. 
T. Welsh, James Williams, R. H. Wells, 
David Watson, F. J. Williams. 

In the foregoing list I have marked those 
whom I know to have died, but, as a matter 
of fact, not more than a quarter of the old 
troop are living at this date, 1898. 

Jesse Lee Hall, who at the death of Cap- 
tain McNelly succeeded to the command of 
the troop, joined it as Second Lieutenant, 
August 1, 1876, at Oakville. He left the ser- 
vice in 1880 and was succeeded by Captain 
Ogilsbie. Hall was a famous Ranger cap- 

* Deceased. 
120 



A TEXAS SANGER 

tain, and I shall have much to say of his ex- 
ploits later on. 

L. B. Wright left the service in 1876 and 
became a practising physician at San Diego, 
Tex. His brother, L. L. Wright, became 
Sheriff of Duval County, of which San Diego 
is the county seat. Both brothers died in 
the fall of 1892, in the same v^eek. Just 
prior to their death, they furnished me with 
notes and recollections of their Ranger ex- 
periences and I have used them freely in the 
following pages. 

Lieutenant Robinson was killed in a duel 
in Virginia, his home. He resigned his com- 
mission for the sole purpose of fighting that 
duel. He killed his man and was killed at the 
same instant. The duel was occasioned by 
an insult to Robinson's sister in Virginia. 

Charley McKinney was murdered in 1890, 
while attempting to arrest an outlaw. Mc- 
Kinney at the time was Sheriff of La Salle 
County. His murderer was afterward hanged 
at San Antonio. 

I wish to express here my indebtedness for 
much material used in this book to Captain 
Hall, Major Armstrong, Hon. T. N. Divine, 
John McNelly, and Edward Mayers, who 
kindly assisted me in gathering together the 

121 



A TEXAS EANGER 

details of half-forgotten Ranger history dur- 
ing my visit to Texas, a few years ago. 

As soon as the bill constituting the Ranger 
troop passed the Legislature and received 
the Governor's signature, Captain McNelly 
began to raise his company. He had thou- 
sands of applications from men who wanted 
to serve under him, but he was very partic- 
ular in his selection of them. He would take 
only young men who were educated, of good 
character, and of a lively disposition. Then, 
too, the applicants had to convince the Cap- 
tain that they possessed courage and were 
good riders, but the latter qualification was a 
common one in Texas. Although McNelly 
was himself a Texan, he was seemingly care- 
ful to exclude Texans from his troop and, 
with the exception of Evans, the McKinney 
boys, and one or two more, he had none. 
He reasoned that Texans might have friends 
or *' kinfolk " among the very men he would 
have to hunt down, and he knew how impor- 
tant it was that he should be able to place 
absolute reliance in each individual member 
of the troop. The consequence was that it 
was made up of young men from nearly 
every Southern State. I was the only mem- 
ber whose home was north of Mason and 

\ 123 



A TEXAS RANGEK 

Dixon's line. There were a number of Vir- 
ginians ; Georgia supplied a good quota ; so 
did Mississippi ; so did Alabama. There was 
one Scotchman (McKay), one Irishman (Mc- 
Govern), and one Englishman (Rudd). Rudd 
was a little bit of a red-headed and red- 
faced Londoner, who always rode the biggest 
horse in the troop. He took his corporalship 
very seriously, but was lively, full of fun, 
and a great favorite with the boys. In read- 
ing Kipling's " Soldiers Three," the charac- 
ter of Ortheris has always brought Corporal 
Rudd vividly to my recollection. 

McKay was a splendidly built young ath- 
lete and as handsome as a Greek god. His 
running broad jump was the pride of the 
troop. He had a sweet tenor voice and sang 
old Scotch songs in a way to make home- 
sickness epidemic at night about the camp- 
fires. 

Corporal Williams, a royal good fellow, 
was known always as ** Polly " Williams 
among the men. Horace Rowe was a small, 
dark, delicately made man. He was a poet 
of no mean order and had published a book 
of verse. Adams was also a poet, but rather 
of the cow-boy variety. 

Durham was the wit of the company, and 

123 



A TEXAS RANGEE 

as brave a fellow as ever straddled a mustang. 
Rector was as deaf as a post, but was not 
lacking in nerve at any time. We used to 
yell at him in a way which he resented at 
times, and once I nearly had to fight a duel 
with him in consequence. Parrott was from 
the far-off banks of the Suwanee River, so 
famed in " The Old Folks at Home." I shall 
give an instance of his courage in another 
place. Watson was a lame fiddler, but a 
man of reckless bravery. Boyd had killed 
his man in Lower California and had es- 
caped, by travelling on foot across Mexico, to 
Texas. Later, he went back to California, 
got out of his trouble there, and fell heir to 
a large estate. He was a handsome, jolly 
fellow and the best poker-player in the troop. 
I remember how surprised I was, when 
we rode out from the camp near Laredo that 
first morning, to note the youth of Lieuten- 
ant Wright, who, mounted on a sturdy little 
black stallion, rode at the head of the troop. 
He certainly was very young to be second in 
command. I don't think he could have been 
more than nineteen years old at that time ; 
but his face was a determined one, and he 
had a trick of drawing his eyebrows into a 
straight line and knitting his forehead above 

124 



A TEXAS RANGEE 

them which hardened his expression, and 
made him seem older than he actually was. 
His straight, thin mouth and firm chin de- 
noted much character, and it did not take 
a very expert student of physiognomy to see 
that he was eminently fitted, despite his 
lack of years, to lead men into danger. 

By his side, and chatting merrily with him, 
was a little boy, not more than ten years old. 
This boy was the Captain's son, and was 
known as *' Rebel " among the boys, with 
whom he was a great favorite. It was only 
when we changed our base of operations 
that the Captain took his family on the 
march. Mrs. McNelly and her little daugh- 
ter travelled in an ambulance, and the Cap- 
tain was with them that morning, so let 
Reb ride his horse. Reb was as much at 
home in the saddle as any cow-boy. He was 
brimming over with mischief, and if he could 
get any of the men to lend him a six-shooter, 
took great delight in blazing away at trees, 
rabbits, or anything which chanced to cross 
his line of vision. As he was not a wonderful 
marksman, his target practice was, at times, 
a trifle dangerous to others. 

Next to Lieutenant Wright was a long, 
lanky man, with a light sandy, sparse beard 

125 



A TEXAS RANGER 

and long yellow hair. He was Sergeant Or- 
rell, or, as the boys always called him, " Old 
Orrell," a Mississippian and as good-natured 
a fellow as ever breathed. Although con- 
tinually talking about military discipline, 
he wisely confined his ideas to words, and 
never attempted to put them into practice. 
He was brave as a lion, and remarkably 
cool in a tight place, but was also very 
conceited, and as proud as a turkey-cock 
over his sergeantship. Rudd was almost as 
precise and martial in his notions as Orrell, 
but both of them knew the Rangers too well 
to try to enforce their notions upon the boys. 
Armstrong was a Kentuckian and, like 
many of the sons of the Blue Grass State, was 
a giant in size. His sweeping blond mus- 
tache and pointed ** goatee " would alone have 
made him conspicuous among so many beard- 
less young men, but there was a good deal 
more to John B. Armstrong than his hirsute 
charms. He had a singularly mild blue eye, 
and experience on the frontier has taught 
me that mild blue eyes usually indicate any- 
thing but mildness of disposition. His hand- 
some face was full of character. His car- 
riage was as erect as that of a grenadier and, 
despite his great size, he was extremely 

126 



A TEXAS EANGEK 

graceful in all his movements. He was a 
dashing fellow, and always ready to lead 
a squad of the Rangers on any scout that 
promised to end in a fight. 

The rest were, for the most part, beardless 
boys, full of deviltry and high spirits, and 
ready at a moment's notice to rush into any 
adventure, no matter how dangerous to life 
it might be. Their broad brimmed, pictur- 
esque, cow-boy hats, flannel shirts open at 
the throat, high boots, well-filled cartridge 
belts with dangling pistol holsters and 
bowie-knife scabbards, their carbines slung 
at the side of the saddles, their easy and 
perfect manner of riding, their sun-tanned 
faces, their general air of wild, happy, devil- 
may-care freedom and supreme confidence 
in themselves, showed that the Captain in- 
deed chose wisely when he picked out the 
men for his dangerous mission. 

Here were fellows who would not stop to 
count the cost beforehand, but would follow 
their leader with reckless enthusiasm, no 
matter where he might go. Such was the 
impression I received in looking at the Rang- 
ers that morning, nearly a quarter of a cen- 
tury ago, and it was correct. Only once since 
then have I seen any body of men which could 

127 



A TEXAS KANGER 

be compared to the Rangers. I refer to Colo- 
nel Theodore Roosevelt's regiment of *' Rough 
Riders," which did such magnificent work in 
Cuba under his command. And among the 
'* Rough Riders " I met a number of ex- 
Texas Rangers, who had all given good ac- 
counts of themselves in the fighting before 
Santiago de Cuba. 

Colonel Roosevelt has written in his story 
of '* The Rough Riders" the following : 

** We drew a great many recruits from 
Texas ; and from nowhere did we get a 
higher average, for many of them had served 
in that famous body of frontier fighters, the 
Texas Rangers. Of course, these Rangers 
needed no teaching. They were already 
trained to obey and to take responsibility. 
They were splendid shots, horsemen and 
trailers. They were accustomed to living in 
the open, to enduring great fatigue and 
hardship, and to encountering all kinds of 
danger." 



128 



CHAPTER IX 

Mexican Eaiders Around Corpus Christi — Arrival at 
Para — Eoving Vigilance Committee Disbanded by 
McNelly — Fight with Eaiders at Laguna Madre — L. 
S. Smith Shot— The Eaiders Killed— How Mc- 
Nelly Caught the Leader — Funeral of the Eanger — 
Spying on Cortina, 

And now for a more detailed story of the 
work of the cominand which I had joined as 
the result of such a queer series of adventures. 
I shall undertake to tell only of the more 
important scouts which were undertaken, 
with here and there a digression called up 
by the remembrance of some characteristic 
scene or noteworthy incident. I shall de- 
scribe the Texas desperado of over a score of 
years ago, as I knew him. He may not be 
all that border fiction has painted him, but 
the description will have the merit of strict 
truth. Even at his tamest, he was suffi- 
ciently picturesque. 

We went by easy stages across the country 
to Corpus Christi, the pretty little old town on 

129 



A TEXAS KANGER 

the Gulf of Mexico. We were ordered there 
because Mexican raiders had come across 
the Rio Grande and spread terror through- 
out that part of Texas. 

We arrived at Corpus Christi on the morn- 
ing of April 22, 1875, and found the country 
in the wildest state of excitement. We were 
told how large bands of raiders were coming 
from every direction to lay waste the coun- 
try-side and burn the town. The most ex- 
travagant rumors found ready credence from 
the terrorized people. The civil authorities 
seemed helpless. Large parties of mounted 
and well-armed men, residents of Nueces 
County, were riding over the country, com- 
mitting the most brutal outrages, murdering 
peaceable Mexican farmers and stockmen 
who had lived all their lives in Texas. These 
murderers called themselves vigilance com- 
mittees and pretended that they were acting 
in the cause of law and order. 

We remained encamped near the town for 
two days, to rest our jaded horses and to try 
to get a clear idea of the actual condition of 
affairs. 

It seemed that the excitement had been 
first caused by a raid made by Mexicans 
(from Mexico) in the neighborhood of Cor- 

130 



A TEXAS SANGER 

pus Christi. These raiders had stolen cattle 
and horses, burned ranch houses, murdered 
men and ravished women, and then escaped 
back to Mexico. The excitement which fol- 
lowed was seized upon by a number of white 
men living in ISTueces County as a fitting 
time to settle up old scores with the Mexican 
residents of that and some of the adjoining 
counties. Many of these Mexicans, it must 
be admitted, had been making a livelihood 
by stealing and skinning cattle, and the sher- 
iffs and constables had failed to make any ef- 
forts to detect and punish them. 

On the evening of April 24th a report was 
brought in that a party of raiders from 
Mexico had been seen at La Para, about 
sixty miles from Corpus Christi. McNelly at 
once started with the troop to that place and 
arrived the following day. There we learned 
that the party reported to be Mexican raiders 
was really a posse of citizens from Cameron 
County, under a deputy sheriff, and that 
they **had come out to protect the people of 
La Para from further outrages from the citi- 
zens of Nueces County," meaning certain 
lawless bands organized in Nueces County. 

McNelly ordered the deputy sheriff to take 
his posse back and disband it. After some 

131 



A TEXAS RANGER 

demurring on the part of the posse, this was 
done. We went into camp and McNelly 
sent scouting parties out in every direction 
to disband the various vigilance commit- 
tees and ** regulators " which were roaming 
through the country. 

On April 26th two companies of white men, 
commanded by T. Hynes Clark and M. S. 
Culver, cattle-men, came to our camp and 
said they wanted to co-operate with the 
Kangers. 

" We need no one to co-operate with us," 
said the Captain. " I have heard that some 
of you men are the very ones accused of a 
number of outrages committed on Mexican 
citizens of this State, and you must disband 
at once and not re-assemble, except at the 
call and under the command of an officer of 
the State. If you don't do as I say, you will 
have us to fight." 

The Texans didn't like this high-handed 
way of talking and were disposed at first to 
dispute McNelly's authority, but the Captain 
showed them very quickly that he meant 
business and they disbanded. 

We remained in camp, constantly scouting 
in various directions, until matters had 
quieted down. When everything was quiet, 

132 



A TEXAS SANGER 

we went to Edinburgh, in Hidalgo County, 
and reached there on May 16th. On May 
20th we moved down the Rio Grande. 

We found the frontier in a state of great 
excitement. Reports of a dozen different 
raiding parties would be brought in daily 
and the scouting parties had no rest. I was 
in the saddle almost continually. At night 
we would either camp where we happened 
to be, or continue riding, in the attempt to 
head off some party of raiders of whom we 
had heard. Many of the reports of raiders 
brought to us were groundless, but the 
greater number were true. Through fear of 
the robbers, the law-abiding citizens with- 
held information which would have insured 
the capture of the marauders. 

The people said that large droves of cattle 
and horses were stolen and driven across the 
Rio Grande into Mexico almost nightly. 
This, we found, had been going on for years. 
The United States military authorities had 
never made a determined effort to put a 
stop to the wholesale stealing, although 
the raiders at times would pass close to the 
frontier posts. 

McNelly continued to keep out scouting 
parties of Rangers, and this course had the 

133 



A TEXAS RANGER 

effect of lessening the number of raids, 
but not of wholly putting an end to 
them. 

While we were encamped at a place called 
Las Kucias, which we reached on June 5th, 
a Mexican brought the information to Cap- 
tain McNelly that a party of raiders was 
crossing into Texas, below Brownsville, and 
going in the direction of La Para. Our 
camp was about twenty-five miles from 
Brownsville. Many Rangers were out on 
scouts at the time we received the informa- 
tion and but seventeen of the boys were in 
camp. This was on June 11th. McNelly at 
once ordered us to saddle up, and within fif- 
teen minutes we were trotting after him and 
a Mexican guide over the prairie. Lieuten- 
ant Wright was in the party. So was Lieu- 
tenant Robinson. 

We camped that night by a little, half- 
dried-up creek, and early the next morning 
a Mexican scout came in and said he had 
discovered the trail of the raiders. We ate 
a hurried breakfast and started out after the 
Mexican. In a short time we captured an 
advance scout of the raiders — one Rafael 
Salinas — and, by threatening him with in- 
stant death if he did not divulge what he 

134 



A TEXAS RANGER 

knew of the robbers, we obtained much val- 
uable information from him. 

A little later we managed to catch another 
of the raiders and his story agreed with the 
one the first man had told us. This second 
scout said that the raiders had turned the 
cattle loose, as the men had become fright- 
ened when the first scout failed to return. 

It was three days after that before we 
managed to head off the raiders. They had 
fourteen men and we had eighteen, including 
Captain McNelly. We found them with the 
cattle on a little bit of wooded rising ground 
surrounded by a swamp called Laguna Madre. 
The water was eighteen or twenty inches 
deep in it. 

They were drawn up in line and were evi- 
dently expecting us. When they saw us, 
they drew off behind the rising ground and 
fired at a range of about one hundred and 
fifty yards with carbines. 

** Boys," said Captain McISTelly, *' the only 
way we can get at those thieves is to cross 
through the mud of the swamp and ride 
them down. I don't think they can shoot 
well enough to hit any of us, but we'll have 
to risk that. Don't fire at them until you're 
sure of killing every time." 

135 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Following the Captain, we started across 
the swamp for the little hill, the Mexican 
marauders continually firing at us. When 
we got near the hill, the Captain put spurs to 
his horse and we followed him with a yell as 
we flew through the mud and up the hill. 
The Mexicans answered our yell with one of 
defiance and a volley. At first, we thought 
they had not done any execution, but we 
soon saw they had aimed only too well, for 
three of our horses went crashing to the 
ground, one after the other, throwing their 
riders over their heads. Lieutenant Robin- 
son's horse was one of those shot, but Rob- 
inson continued to fight on foot. 

Then came a single shot from the Mexicans, 
and one of the Rangers — L. S. Smith, pop- 
ularly known in the troop as '^ Sonny" — 
threw his arms above his head, reeled in his 
saddle for a moment and fell headlong to the 
ground. We all saw him fall and the sight 
roused a fury in our hearts that boded ill for 
the men in front of us. 

The Mexicans fired at us again, but this 
time did no harm. The next instant we 
were upon them, shooting and yelling like 
demons. They stood their ground for a mo- 
ment only ; then turned and fled. As they 

136 



A TEXAS RANGER 

went they leaned forward on their horses' 
necks and fired back at us, but they were 
demoralized by the fury of our onslaught 
and could hit nothing. 

Crack ! bang ! bang ! went our revolvers, 
and at nearly every shot one of the raiders 
went tumbling from his saddle. We had rid- 
den hard to get to that place and our horses 
were played out, but we never thought of 
giving up the chase on that account. The 
remembrance of poor young Smith's face, as 
he threw up his hands and reeled from his 
horse, was too fresh in our minds for us to 
think of anything but revenge. 

Some of our enemies were well mounted, 
but even these we gradually overhauled. 
We flew over the prairie at a killing pace, 
intent only on avenging our comrade's death. 
When we finally did halt, our horses were 
ready to drop from exhaustion ; but the 
work had been done — every man of the 
raiders but one was dead. Some of them 
fought so desperately that even when dis- 
mounted and wounded four or five times 
they continued to shoot at us. Lieutenant 
Wright, during the running fight, killed two 
men with one shot from his revolver. The 
men were riding on one horse when he 

137 



A TEXAS EANGER 

killed them and both were shooting back at 
him. 

The leader of the raiders, Espiiioso, was 
thrown from his horse early in the fight. 
McNelly was after him and as soon as he 
saw Espiiioso fall he, too, sprang to the 
ground. Espinoso jumped into a '^ hog wal- 
low " in the prairie and McNelly took shelter 
in another one. Then they fought a duel. 
At last McNelly played a trick on the Mex- 
ican. The Captain had a carbine and a six- 
shooter. He aimed his carbine carefully at 
the top of Espinoso's hog wallow and then 
fired his pistol in the air. Espinoso raised 
his head, and the next instant a bullet from 
McNelly's carbine had passed through it and 
the Mexican bandit was dead. 

Espinoso was the most famous of the raid- 
ers on the Rio Grande and one of the head 
men under the Mexican guerilla chief, Cor- 
tina. Cortina was a Mexican general, and 
at the head of all the cattle raiding. He had 
a contract to deliver in Cuba six hundred 
head of Texas cattle every week. About 
three thousand robbers were under him, and 
he was virtually the ruler of the Mexican 
border. 

When we rode back to the hill where we 

138 



A TEXAS RANGER 

first met the raiders, we discovered that we 
had killed only thirteen of them. The four- 
teenth was terribly wounded. His name was 
Mario Olguine, nicknamed ** Aboja." He was 
known to the Mexicans as Aboja (the Needle) 
because he had such a quiet way of slipping 
into ranch houses, on raids, and murdering 
the inmates while they slept. Aboja was 
sent to jail, but died there, after lingering 
several weeks. We recovered 265 stolen 
cattle after the fight. We procured a wagon 
and took the body of young Smith to Browns- 
ville. The next day the bodies of the thir- 
teen dead Mexicans were brought to Browns- 
ville and laid out in the plaza. Nearly the 
entire population of Matamoras, the Mexican 
town immediately across the Rio Grande 
from Brownsville, came over to see their 
dead countrymen. The Mexicans were very 
angry, and we heard many threats that 
Cortina would come across with his men and 
kill us all. McNelly sent back word to Cor- 
tina that he would wait for him and his men. 
Cortina's bandits outnumbered the Rangers 
and the United States forces at Fort Brown 
about ten to one at that time. 

We gave Smith a fine military funeral. 
The Mexican raiders were all buried in one 

139 



A TEXAS EANGER 

trench. The Mexican inhabitants of the 
town stood in their doorways and scowled at 
us whenever we passed, but they were afraid 
to express their hatred openly. They con- 
tented themselves with predicting that Cor- 
tina would come over and kill us. Had 
they but known it, one of our men. Sergeant 
George Hall, a cousin of McNelly's, was at that 
very time with Cortina, acting as a spy for 
us. Hall was on Cortina's boat, waiting with 
him for the cattle to ship to Havana. In the 
records of the United States Government at 
Washington there is doubtless a most inter- 
esting report which Hall made to the Federal 
authorities, for General Grant, who was 
President at the time, sent for Hall and per- 
sonally received his report. 

Grant was greatly interested in Cortina's 
movements, and it was said among those 
who knew how matters stood on the border 
and in Washington, that the President would 
have been glad to have a war break out be- 
tween Mexico and the United States. Of 
that I will speak more fully in another 
place. 



140 



CHAPTER X 

Getting a Reputation as Dare-devils — Shooting up Fan- 
dangos — Passing a Sentinel — Breaking up a Dance 
Single-handed — The Sequel — Night-riding — Sando- 
bal, the Solitary Ranger — Why He Became One — 
His Wrongs and the Vengeance He Wreaked. 

At the time of which I write, Matamoras 
was full of Mexican soldiers, and Cortina had 
put the place under martial rule. No person 
was allowed on the streets after sunset, ex- 
cept by special permit ; that is, no Mexican 
was allowed on the streets. For some reason 
best known to Cortina, Americans were not 
included in the rule, and the Mexican sentries 
had orders to pass Americans. The Rangers 
were not slow to take advantage of this state 
of affairs, and we paid frequent visits to 
Matamoras after nightfall. We went there 
for two reasons : to have fun, and to carry 
out a set policy of terrorizing the Mexicans 
at every opportunity. Captain McNelly as- 
sumed that the more we were feared, the 
easier would be our work of subduing the 

141 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Mexican raiders ; so it was tacitly understood 
that we were to gain a reputation as fire- 
eating, quarrelsome dare-devils as quickly as 
possible, and to let no opportunity go unim- 
proved to assert ourselves and override the 
** Greasers." Perhaps everyone has more 
or less of the bully inherent in his make-up, 
for certain it is that we enjoyed this work 
hugely. 

" Each Ranger was a little standing 
army in himself," was the way Lieutenant 
Wright put it to me, speaking, long after- 
ward, of those experiences. The Mexicans 
were afraid of us, collectively and indi- 
vidually, and added to the fear was a bitter 
hatred. 

Half a dozen of the boys would leave camp 
after dark and make their way over the 
river to Matamoras by way of the ferry. If 
we could find a fandango, or Mexican dance, 
going on, we would enter the dancing-hall 
and break up the festivities by shooting out 
the lights. This would naturally result in 
much confusion and, added to the reports of 
our revolvers, would be the shrill screaming 
of women and the cursing of angry Mexicans. 
Soldiers would come running from all direc- 
tions. We would then fire a few more shots 

142 



A TEXAS EANGER 

in the air and make off for the ferry, as fast 
as we could go. 

Usually, at such times, we would be fol- 
lowed — at a safe distance — by a company or 
two of soldiers. Sometimes we would fire 
back, over their heads, and sometimes they 
would shoot at us ; but we always got back 
safely to the Texas side. When we reached 
Brownsville, we would hunt up another fan- 
dango — there were always some of these 
dances going on every night — and proceed, 
as in Matamoras, to break it up. 

The news of our big fight with the raid- 
ers reached everyone's ears, and none was 
so bold as to attempt to resist our outrages 
upon the peace and dignity of the commun- 
ity, for such they undoubtedly were. But 
we accomplished our purpose. In a few 
weeks we were feared as men were never 
before feared on that border, and, had we 
given the opportunity, we should undoubt- 
edly have been exterminated by the Mexi- 
cans, but there was " method in our mad- 
ness," and we never gave them the chance 
to get the better of us. 

A story was told in Brownsville, in re- 
lation to the orders to the Mexican sol- 
diers in Matamoras to pass all Americans. 

143 



A TEXAS KANGER 

It was said that, one night, an American 
cow-boy was reeling toward the ferry in 
Matamoras, where he had been looking too 
long upon the treacherous mescal, a most in- 
toxicating beverage. The cow-boy had not 
gone far before a Mexican sentinel appeared 
out of the gloom and shouted : 

''Fareter' (Halt!) 

The cow-boy looked into the muzzle of the 
soldier's musket and shouted angrily : 

" Go to , you black Greaser ! " 

^^ Estd hueno,'" said the sentinel, recogniz- 
ing the answer as coming from an American, 
but not understanding the words; ^^ Pase 
listed, Sefior.^' 

And he brought his musket to a "carry" 
as the cow-boy passed on, cursing him at 
every unsteady step. 

One of our men came very near paying the 
penalty of his rashness, one night, at a fan- 
dango in Brownsville. He was passing a 
house when he heard the music of guitars 
and a violin and the voice of a Mexican 
shouting the figures of a dance. The Ranger 
knew that a fandango was in progress, and 
he made up his mind to put a stop to it. 
It was wonderful how opposed to dancing 
the Rangers had become. No religious fan- 

144 



A TEXAS EANGER 

atic was ever more active in discouraging 
round dances than were McNelly's men. 
The sound of a fiddle playing a waltz was, in 
its effect, like touching a match to a train of 
powder. It always roused the Rangers to 
prompt action, and in ten minutes, at the 
utmost, the twinkling feet of the dancers 
were hurrying away in every direction, as 
fast as wholesome fear could make them 
travel. 

But, previous to the incident of which I 
write, we had always gone to work to break 
up the dances in parties of from four to half 
a dozen men. No one had ever attempted 
to carry on the good work all by himself. 
But this particular Ranger — he was Boyd — 
did not wish to waste valuable time by going 
to camp and securing the assistance of some 
of the other discouragers of terpsichorean 
revels. Boyd made up his mind to go in and 
stop that fandango at once, and single- 
handed. 

He accordingly turned aside and entered 
the adobe house where it was in progress. 
There were about fifty Mexicans in the place 
when Boyd entered, but a little thing like 
that was not sufiicient to discourage him 
when he set his heart on doing a good, 

145 



A TEXAS RANGER 

moral piece of work. Perhaps he had been 
glancing once or twice too often upon the 
mescal when it was yellow, but, be that as it 
may, he did something which no man in his 
senses would have attempted. He walked 
into the middle of the room where those 
fifty-odd ** Greasers" were dancing and, 
pulling his revolver, deliberately proceeded 
to shoot at the lamps which were placed in 
brackets on the walls. 

He had fired but three shots when some- 
thing hit him on the head from behind and 
he dropped to the fioor like a log. A dozen 
of the Mexicans were on him in an instant, 
hitting and kicking him, and he certainly 
would have been killed, then and there, if 
something hadn't happened opportunely to 
save him. That something was the entrance 
of six of the Rangers who were attracted 
by the noise of the shooting as they were 
passing the place. They ran in and made 
their way to the place where Boyd was being 
beaten. As soon as they recognized Boyd, 
they turned on his assailants. 

The blood of the Mexicans was up, how- 
ever, and they stood their ground. A fight 
ensued, and it was a bloody one. The Mexi- 
cans were all armed with knives, and some 

146 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

had pistols. The room was so crowded and 
there were so many women, that the Rangers 
would not shoot, but used their six-shooters 
as clubs. They succeeded in rescuing Boyd 
and running the Mexicans out of the place, 
but not until some heads had been broken. 
Fortunately, no one was killed. 

This was such a serious affair that it made 
much talk in the town, and the result was 
Captain McNelly issued orders that no more 
fandango raids should be made. 

It must not be supposed, however, that the 
Rangers had nothing to do, all this time, 
except terrorize the Mexicans. Some of the 
men were continually off on scouts of more 
or less importance. Occasionally, the boys 
would have a fight, but more often they 
would make arrests peaceably enough. 
Sometimes so many of the men were off on 
these scouts that not more than two or three 
would be left in camp at a time. I was 
almost constantly in the saddle. We did 
most of our riding at night. This was for 
two reasons ; our movements at night did 
not attract so much attention, and then, in 
that hot climate, night-riding is less severe 
on horses than travelling under the blazing 
semi-tropical sun. It was on one of these 

147 



A TEXAS KANGER 

night scouts that we obtained an important 
addition to the troop. He was a Mexican — 
the only one who ever belonged to the 
Ranger troop. 

His name was Jesus Sandobal. In appear- 
ance he did not differ from hundreds of other 
Mexicans on that border, except that he was 
rather taller than the majority of them, and 
was also remarkably thin and angular. His 
eyes were as black as jet and singularly 
piercing. He was very sinewy and strong 
and as active as any man I ever saw. He 
could mount a pony without putting his hand 
on him at all. He would simply run along- 
side of the horse for a little way and spring 
into the saddle with a bound. I have seen 
this feat performed at a circus by expert 
bareback riders, but never with the ease 
with which Sandobal did it. Once mounted, 
he was an extremely graceful rider and a 
daring one. 

He came to us as a guide, and after we 
learned his history we did not wonder that 
the Captain had made him a member of the 
troop, Mexican though he was. There was 
no fear that Sandobal would ever betray 
any of the Rangers to his countrymen. He 
had no country, in fact. He had renounced 

148 



A TEXAS RANGER 

all allegiance to Mexico, and he hated the 
Mexicans with such a bitter, consuming 
hatred that his life was devoted to doing 
them all the injury possible. 

One year before he became our guide, 
Jesus Sandobal was living at peace on his 
ranch in Texas, a few miles above Browns- 
ville and near the Rio Grande. By hard 
work and attention to business, he accumu- 
lated quite a little fortune in horses and cat- 
tle, fenced in a few acres of ground, built 
himself a commodious adobe house, and was 
prosperous and happy. He was devoted to 
his wife and daughter, the latter a pretty 
girl of fifteen years. 

He had had the advantage of a good edu- 
cation at a school in the City of Mexico, and 
was vastly superior in his tastes to any of 
the Mexicans with whom he was brought in 
contact on the border. He held himself 
somewhat aloof from them and, in conse- 
quence, was disliked by many. They re- 
sented his haughty bearing, and his air of 
condescension was galling to them. There 
was too much of the manner of the old-time 
Spanish cdballero about him to suit their 
ideas. He probably knew this, but if so, 
the knowledge had no effect upon his way 

149 



A TEXAS EANGER 

of treating his neighbors and others whom 
he met from day to day. He was always 
courteous to them, but he did not attempt to 
disguise the fact that he considered himself 
better than they. 

One morning, Sandobal left his ranch to 
go on some business up the Rio Grande, 
near Ringgold Barracks, almost a hundred 
miles away. He kissed his wife and daugh- 
ter affectionately and told them he would 
ride hard and be back with them in four 
days at the latest. He left his ranch in the 
care of a man named Juan Valdez, his chief 
vaquero. Valdez had been with Don Jesus 
for several months and had done his work 
well, although he seemed of a rather morose 
disposition. Sandobal trusted him fully. 

On the evening of the fourth day from his 
departure from his ranch, Sandobal returned 
to it. When he reached a point within a 
mile of his house, he put spurs to his horse 
and galloped merrily on in his haste to see 
his loved ones again. In a few minutes he 
came within sight of his house, but when he 
turned his eyes toward it his heart sank 
within him. Instead of the neat dwelling 
which he had left a few days before, he saw 
a heap of ruins. He flew to the place. It 

150 



A TEXAS RANGER 

was silent and deserted. His home had 
been destroyed by fire and its inhabitants 
were gone. 

At first, he thought it had been accident- 
ally burned and that his wife and daughter 
had merely gone to await his return at some 
neighbor's house, or in Brownsville, where 
they had relatives. But he did not think so 
long. Upon looking around, he found that 
his barn was burned, too. His fences were 
torn down. All his cattle had been driven 
off. 

Then he knew what had happened. He 
had lived too long on that accursed border 
not to recognize the work of the dreaded 
Mexican raiders from across the Rio Grande. 
He knew that his ranch had been destroyed 
by them and that he was a ruined man 
But what had become of his wife and daugh- 
ter ? When he thought of them his heart 
grew sick, for well he knew the treatment 
which women had to expect from the raiders 
of the border. He turned his horse's head 
away from the ruins of his home and set out 
on a run for the nearest ranch-house. Its 
owner heard him coming and hurried to the 
gate. 

** My wife — my little daughter, Antonita — 

151 



A TEXAS RANGER 

where are they ? " shouted Sandobal, as he 
pulled his horse up so suddenly that the 
animal reared back on its haunches. 

The ranchero looked at Don Jesus and 
noted the terrible expression of his face — the 
drawn features and the fierce, glittering eyes 
— and for a moment he dared not answer him. 

**For the love of the good God, speak!" 
said Sandobal in a hoarse, strained voice. 
" Do not keep me in suspense. Are they 
safe ? Did they escape ? Are they here ? " 

Still the ranchero was silent. 

Suddenly Sandobal threw himself from his 
horse and strode straight up to the man. He 
looked the ranchero in the eyes with a search- 
ing stare for a moment ; then he grasped him 
with his strong hands by both shoulders and 
shook him as a dog would a rat. Between 
his set teeth he spoke, saying : 

*'By God, you shall answer me, or I'll 
strangle you as I would a cajoteJ' 

Then the ranchero found words to answer 
him. 

"Calm yourself, Senor," he said. "You 
hurt me. There ; that is better. You must 
bear it like a man, Don Jesus, for there is 
terrible news for you. Your wife and daugh- 
ter are alive, but " 

153 



A TEXAS KANGER 

The ranchero hung his head and his eyes 
sought the ground. He could not tell the 
husband and father of the foul wrong which 
had been put upon his loved ones. But he 
had said enough. Sandobal knew that his 
worst fears were confirmed. After a pause 
of many minutes, he said, in a strangely 
calm voice for the expression which accom- 
panied it : 

*' Where are they, amigo mio ? " 

"They have gone to the convent in Mata- 
moras. They are with the holy Sisters." 

Sandobal pressed his friend's hand with a 
strong grasp and turned from him without 
another word. The next minute he was on 
his horse galloping away toward his ruined 
ranch. Inquiries were made for him on the 
following day, but he had disappeared. It 
was learned that he had gone to the convent 
in Matamoras and there seen his wife and 
daughter. After he left the convent, all 
trace of him was lost. 

In a few weeks, strange and terrible 
rumors spread throughout the lower Rio 
Grande border. It was said that, night after 
night, a different ranch was burned in 
Mexico, not far from the big river ; that, day 
after day, some man was found dead on the 

153 



A TEXAS RANGER 

road in the same neighborhood, with a bullet- 
hole in his head ; that the cattle in Mexico 
were dying of some new and strange disease ; 
that horses were being killed by some un- 
known hand, and that persons drinking from 
wells and springs in Mexico had fallen vio- 
lently ill and died in agony shortly after. 

And, in all these cases, the persons who 
had been shot or poisoned were those who 
were known to belong to the bands of 
raiders who lived by their frequent depreda- 
tions in Texas. It was their ranches which 
were burned ; it was their cattle which died ; 
it was their horses which were killed. 

As time went on these awful happenings 
did not decrease in frequency. Indeed, they 
became of more frequent occurrence and 
the scene of them ever widened. The peo- 
ple became terror-stricken. Men banded 
together to hunt down their common but 
unknown enemy. They scoured the country 
for him. They offered large rewards for his 
detection and capture, dead or alive. But it 
was all to no purpose. Every few nights a 
hitherto untouched ranch was set on fire; 
every day or two, another man was found 
dead with a bullet-hole in his temple. The 
cattle and the horses continued to die. 

154 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Springs and wells, and even streams which 
emptied into the Rio Grande, were found 
to be poisoned. 

For over eight months this kept up. Scores 
of ranches were burned; forty or fifty 
men were assassinated, and hundreds of 
horses and cattle died in that period. 
And in all that time Sandobal was absent 
from Texas, save for brief visits which he 
paid to Brownsville. When anyone would 
ask him where he was living and what he 
was doing, he would reply that he was 
" doing some work for the Mexican Govern- 
ment." He would make purchases of pro- 
visions and cartridges and leave the town 
again, not to return for another month or 
six weeks. On these occasional visits he 
always went to the convent in Matamoras, 
to see his wife and daughter. 

Why the Mexicans did not sooner suspect 
Sandobal as the man who had been playing 
such havoc in Mexico near the border, I can- 
not imagine, but when, at last, they did 
couple his name with the outrages no one 
doubted that he was their perpetrator. The 
people had no direct proof that he was the 
man, but they felt sure of it as soon as it was 
suggested. A hunt began for him, but he 

155 



A TEXAS RANGER 

could not be found. It was discovered, how- 
ever, that he had not been employed by the 
Mexican Government in any capacity, and 
this tended to confirm the suspicions. 

It was while the border country was ring- 
ing with SandobaFs name and the hunt for 
him was being prosecuted that he joined the 
Rangers as a guide. Of course, he denied 
that he had been taking such awful revenge 
for the wrongs done him, but none of us 
believed his denials. I have good reason to 
be convinced that Captain McNelly knew 
positively Sandobal was the dreaded bor- 
der scourge, and I suspect that it was for 
that very reason he enlisted him in the 
troop. 

Sandobal — we all called him Jesus * in the 
Company — was safe from molestation so long 
as he was with the Rangers, although direful 
threats regarding him reached us constantly. 
Sandobal merely smiled grimly when he 
heard the threats. His life was too bitter 
for him to care for them. For hours at a 
time he would sit in the camp with his back 
against a tree, brooding over his troubles 
and lost to all that was passing around him. 

* Pronounced in Spanish, Hay-soos, with the accent on the 
last syllable. 

156 



A TEXAS EANGER 

When, however, any one of the Rangers 
spoke to him, he always answered in the 
pleasantest manner. He absolutely wor- 
shipped the Rangers and was ever ready 
to go to any trouble to please them, collec- 
tively or individually. 

When any of the boys returned from a 
scout, he was always the first to greet them 
and to ask if they had killed any Mexicans. 
If the answer was in the negative, he would 
plainly indicate his disappointment, but if it 
was in the affirmative, his eyes would bright- 
en, his lips would curve into a smile, and he 
would pat the men on the back and call 
them ** muy hravos hombres" and say that he 
wished he had been with them. If a Mex- 
ican prisoner was brought into camp, he was 
always as carefully guarded to keep Sando- 
bal from doing him an injury as to prevent 
his escape. This was particularly the case 
after one of the prisoners complained that 
Sandobal had threatened to hang him at the 
first opportunity. I do not doubt that our 
guide would have done so had he had the 
chance. 

But Sandobal's hunger for revenge on the 
Mexican raiders was destined to be glutted 
before he left the Rangers, for he was to 

157 



A TEXAS KANGER 

take part in the most exciting and danger- 
ous scout which the Rangers ever undertook, 
the story of which rang throughout all Tex- 
as, and the effect of which was practically 
to break up the border-thieving on the lower 
Rio Grande for many months, or so long as 
McNelly's troop remained in that part of the 
country. 



158 



CHAPTER XI 

Following up the Eaiders — A Eide that Beat the Eec- 
ord — The Eighth Cavalry — McNelly Eejoins the 
Command — Parrott's Bold Feat — Eeconnoitring — 
The Command Crosses the Eio Grande — McNelly's 
Speech — Capture of the Wrong Eanch — Los Cuevos 
at Last — Eetreat and Pursuit — Eout of the Mexi- 
cans. 

For months we continued to scout from 
Fort Brown to Rancho Davis and far up the 
Rio Grande, and the cattle - thieves grew 
more and more cautious, for they knew that 
the Rangers were in that country for busi- 
ness and would not hesitate to kill them on 
sight. Late in June we left our camp near 
Brownsville and went to Santa Maria, thirty- 
five miles farther up the river, where we 
heard that a party of raiders had crossed to 
Texas. The robbers heard of our coming 
and fled to Mexico. 

We were so constantly moving from one 
place to another, by night as well as day, 
that the raiders never knew where we would 

159 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

appear and, for the first time in many years, 
they were checked in their work. Another 
good effect of our ceaseless activity and vig- 
ilance was that the Mexican settlers on the 
Texas side of the Rio Grande no longer co- 
operated with the raiders by withholding in- 
formation from us and giving it to them. 
These settlers seemed to realize that a new 
condition had arisen, and that the State of 
Texas was determined on a different course 
from that which had theretofore been pur- 
sued on the line of the border. 

On August 4th we received reliable infor- 
mation that a band of forty of the robbers 
were to be at a certain place in Hidalgo 
County in three days. We prepared to go 
to meet them and give them a warm recep- 
tion ; but before we started, a scout came in 
and told us that the leader of the gang had 
been assassinated by one of his own men on 
the day they were to start for Mexico, and 
that the raid had been abandoneji. Investi- 
gation showed this to be true. 

About the middle of August we moved 
back from the Rio Grande, so as to entice 
the raiders over and give them a few more 
lessons on the danger of invading Texas, and 
we continued to hunt them with more or 

160 



A TEXAS KANGER 

less success until November, when we had 
"the big fight." 

We were encamped, ISTovember 20th, at 
Ratama ranch, about forty miles north of the 
Rio Grande. Lieutenant Robinson was in 
command, the Captain having gone to the 
Rio Grande to reconnoitre. There were 
about thirty of the boys in camp, lounging 
about, practising with their six-shooters at 
trees and betting with each other on their 
marksmanship, playing poker with grains of 
corn for ''chips" and a blanket spread on 
the ground for a table, or cleaning and pol- 
ishing their carbines and revolvers, when a 
Mexican rode hurriedly up and asked to see 
Lieutenant Robinson. 

** I'm Robinson ; what do you want ? " de- 
manded the Lieutenant. 

The Mexican handed him a note which 
Robinson hurriedly read. The men knew 
that something serious was up from the of- 
ficer's face and gathered around him. Rob- 
inson looked up from the note. 

*' Saddle up, boys," he said. '' Don't waste 
any time about it, for we must be off imme- 
diately. We can't wait for dinner. Take 
what grub you can find that's cooked and 
bring it along with you. Be sure and girth 

161 



A TEXAS EANGER 

your horses tight, for you can't stop to do 
it on the road. We're in for some fun this 
time, sure. Take all the cartridges you can 
carry." 

The Rangers gave a yell of delight and 
started on a run for their horses, which were 
herded close to the camp. In a marvellously 
short time we had made them ready, and 
when, in less than ten minutes, Robinson 
gave the order to ^'fall in," every man was 
in his saddle and alert. 

" Kow, Jesus," said Lieutenant Robinson 
to Sandobal, **take us by the nearest road 
you know to Los Cuevos ; the raiders are 
there, fighting the United States troops." 

Sandobal's face lighted up with a great joy, 
and he darted to the front of the column and 
away toward the south on a gallop. As we 
swung out after him, the sun was shining 
directly over our heads. It was exactly 
noon. 

We took an old, unused trail which the re- 
cent rains had washed out in many places, 
and it was very muddy. It would have been 
a bad road to ride on at a walk, but it was 
doubly so at the rate we went. From a gal- 
lop to a sharp trot, and back again to a 
gallop, we went, hour after hour, stopping 

162 



A TEXAS EAl^TGER 

every five or six miles for a very few min- 
utes to breathe our horses. We did not go 
at a walk at all. The mud flew up and plas- 
tered the men from head to foot and the 
horses were coated with it, but we did not 
pause or slacken the pace. 

Sandobal, closely followed by the Lieuten- 
ant, rode ahead, and we followed in a long, 
straggling line. Most of the way it was im- 
possible for the men to ride two abreast and 
we went in single file. Mile after mile we 
rode, at this killing pace, under the hot Texas 
sun, and I thought that some of the ponies 
would drop from exhaustion, but none did. 
The men were all toughened to hard riding, 
and did not mind it in the least. 

Los Cuevos, we learned from Sandobal, 
was sixty miles away, and it was evidently 
the intention to reach there that day. Such 
an undertaking, even on a good road, would 
have been tremendous, but on that old, rain- 
washed trail it seemed impossible of ac- 
complishment. 

But we did it. Just as the sun was sink- 
ing below the mesquite-covered prairie to the 
west we arrived at the place. Sixty miles 
on a bad trail between noon and sundown ! 
Such riding as that had not before been 

163 



A TEXAS EANGER 

done by a body of men on that border, and I 
have never heard of it being equalled else- 
where. Horses and men were alike ex- 
hausted, and when we stopped we threw 
ourselves from the saddles and stood by our 
panting, dripping ponies, glad to get the rest 
which the change of position gave us. 

We had stopped on the bank of the Rio 
Grande close to the water. All about us the 
mud was ankle deep, and marked with the 
hoof prints of hundreds of cattle. At the other 
side of the river we could just make out in 
the gathering gloom — for the twilights are 
very short in that latitude — a flat-boat, tied 
to the bank. As we looked across the quar- 
ter of a mile of water which separated us 
from Mexico, we saw the boat swing out 
from the shore and go drifting down the 
river, and as it did so there came a yell of 
defiance and derision from the raiders over 
there. They had crossed all the stolen cat- 
tle and horses, and then had turned the 
flat-boat adrift to keep us from following on 
our horses. 

As we stood watching them and wondering 
just what to do, we heard a sudden pound- 
ing of many hoofs, and the clanking of 
steel and creaking of leather, the unmistak- 



A TEXAS RANGER 

able sounds of galloping horsemen. The 
sounds grew louder and closer. They were 
on our side of the river. The same thought 
must have flashed through the mind of every 
Ranger there, for, with a precision like that 
* of men at drill, all turned to their saddles, 
yanked their carbines from the scabbards, 
and turned to fight the oncoming horse- 
men. 

''Don't fire, boys; it's the Eighth Cav- 
alry ! " yelled Sergeant Armstrong, who was 
in advance, and the Rangers dropped the 
carbines to their sides and carefully uncocked 
them. 

Armstrong was right. In another minute 
thirty men of Troops H and M, Eighth 
United States Cavalry, under Captain James 
F. Randlett, with Lieutenant Farnsworth 
second in command, came dashing out of 
the brush and halted where we stood. They 
had left Brownsville at 1 a.m., ISTovember 
18th, two days before. It took them all that 
time to come about the same distance we 
travelled in half a day ! No better illustra- 
tion of the difference between the methods 
of the Rangers and the regular cavalry could 
be given. We dared to kill our horses by 
hard riding, and they did not, which meant 

165 



A TEXAS RANGER 

the difference between success and failure in 
the pursuit and capture of border-thieves. 

Still, we all arrived too late that night 
to catch the raiders on this side of the Rio 
Grande, and Rangers and regulars condoled 
with each other heartily. It was more than 
provoking to us, who had taken such a terrible 
ride to head the thieves off, but there was 
no help for it. We scattered up and down 
the river-bank to look for a boat, but after 
an hour's search, gave it up. There was no 
fodder or grazing for our poor horses, and 
they had to be content to eat the leaves from 
the mesquite brush to which we tied them. 

About nine o'clock Captain McISTelly rode 
up and joined us. He said he had left 
Major Alexander with two more troops of 
the Eighth Cavalry farther down the river, 
and that they would arrive, he thought, 
about dawn, together with Lieutenant Mer- 
ritt and a detachment of the Twenty-fourth 
Infantry, with a Gatling gun. 

Captain McNelly told us that the thieves 
we were after were under contract to deliver 
18,000 head of cattle in Monterey, Mexico, 
within ninety days, and that they had started 
to gather them in Texas. He said that Cor- 
tina had organized all the cattle-thieves in 

166 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Mexico for this purpose, and that he really 
intended an invasion of Texas. It was 
clearly our duty to follow the robbers into 
Mexico, give them battle, and so nip their 
plans in the bud. He had received assur- 
ances that Major Alexander would instruct 
his men to follow the Rangers wherever they 
went. 

That McNelly had good reason to believe 
Major Alexander would support him fully, 
even to the extent of crossing the border and 
following the marauders into Mexico, there 
can be no doubt. I know that our Captain 
had been in direct communication with Pres- 
ident Grant regarding the Mexican outrages, 
and I, in common with many others, obtained 
the impression that Grant would welcome 
the chance to invade the Republic directly to 
the south of us. I know also that Major D. R. 
Clendennin, of the Eighth Cavalry, who was 
with the troops at Los Cuevos, as well as 
Major Alexander and Colonel Potter, com- 
manding the District of the Rio Grande, un- 
derstood that McNelly was to lead both the 
Rangers and the United States troops into 
Mexico. I speak of this matter here, so that 
the reader may understand under what con- 
ditions our Captain acted, and so that his bit- 

167 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

ter disappointment at the failure of Secre- 
tary of War Belknap to back up his actions 
may be appreciated. 

That night we managed to catch two 
goats, which we killed and ate for supper. 
They were very tough, but we were very 
hungry, and we enjoyed them, although we 
had no bread or coffee. 

At about eleven o'clock McNelly told Cap- 
tain Eandlett he thought it would be well 
to try to cross the Rio Grande, so as to be in 
position to move on the raiders early in the 
morning. Captain Randlett replied that he 
would have to await the arrival of Major 
Alexander before he took the United States 
troops across the border. 

Then it was that Parrott, of our troop, did 
a most courageous thing. He undressed on 
the river-bank and swam the Rio Grande to 
try to find a boat on the other side in which 
we could cross. We waited quietly for word 
from him for fully half an hour, and at the 
end of that time were startled to hear him 
bawl across the river at the top of his lungs 
that he had secured a row-boat and would 
come right over. The wonderful *' nerve" 
displayed by Parrott in yelling to us while 
he was on the other side of the river and 

168 



A TEXAS KANGER 

surrounded by the Mexican desperadoes, im- 
pressed even the foolhardy Rangers, and he 
was ever after a hero in the troop. 

He came back all right with the boat, and 
then Captain McNelly got into it with two 
of the men and started across the stream. 
Parrott's call had roused the Mexicans and 
they had probably discovered the loss of the 
boat, for we could hear them shouting and 
cursing on the opposite bank. So, when 
McNelly started across, we and the Eighth 
Cavalry troopers formed in line along the 
bank and prepared to shoot if McNelly was 
attacked when he reached the other side. We 
knelt in the mud, with our carbines ready to 
fire if it should be necessary. 

Suddenly, from the opposite bank, whither 
McNelly and his two men had gone, came 
the sound of a rifle-shot and the flash of the 
gun. Instantly we blazed out with a volley 
from our carbines, flring at the flash. Before 
we could shoot again, we heard the Captain 
shouting at us. 

*'For God's sake, don't fire!" he yelled. 
'^Do-o-on'tfire!" 

We couldn't understand what he meant by 
such an order at the time, but afterward we 
found out that one of the men who were with 

169 



A TEXAS RANGER 

him in the boat let his carbine go off acci- 
dentally as he stepped to the shore. Luckily, 
we overshot them, but they said our bullets 
sang very close to their ears. 

McNelly and his two men reconnoitred 
along the bank, but failed to find any of the 
Mexicans, and then one of the men rowed 
back and we crossed the river, three at a 
time. Armstrong swam his own horse over, 
and he was followed by four of the others, 
but the water was very cold and the quick- 
sands near the banks made this a dangerous 
proceeding, so the rest of the Kangers left 
their horses on the Texas side. 

We lay on the ground over there, near the 
river-bank, that night, with no covering 
whatever, although the night was raw and 
chilly. We were tired, cold, dirty, and wet ; 
but, excepting the men on guard, all slept 
soundly until a little before daylight. Then 
McISTelly had us quietly awakened. He sent 
across the river to see if Major Alexander 
had arrived and to find out if he would cross 
with his cavalry to Mexico. The messenger 
returned with the information that Alexan- 
der had not yet arrived. 

Then the Captain formed us in double 
ranks and, in a low voice, made us a speech. 

170 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

*' Boys," said he, **' I was expecting the 
United States soldiers to help us in this fight, 
but I guess we'll have to go it alone now, if 
we want to do anything before the robbers 
get away into the interior. I want to tell 
you, right now, that I'll probably have to 
lead you into hell for awhile, but I believe I 
can lead you out again, all right. Still, if 
there is any man here who doesn't want to 
come with me, he is at perfect liberty to say 
so and go back. I won't treasure it up 
against him, for none of you boys enlisted 
to fight in Mexico, and you needn't do it if 
you don't want to." 

The Captain paused, but not a man moved 
or said anything. 

" That is just what I expected of you," he 
went on, in a tone of satisfaction. " Now 
I'll tell you what we have to do. About a 
mile from here is the notorious Rancho de 
Los Cuevos, the head-quarters of the Mexi- 
can raiders. In that ranch are fine stores of 
all kinds — silver-mounted bridles and sad- 
dles, carved weapons, fine horses. We want 
to capture the ranch. It is the head-quarters 
of a gang of rufiians who have lived off the 
United States for years and years. They 
have brought up their children to hate us 

171 



A TEXAS RANGER 

and to prey upon our country. They have 
murdered our ranchmen and ruined thou- 
sands of homes in Texas. Now is our 
chance to get even. Doubtless, there are 
many men at the ranch, armed and ready 
for us. They are expecting our attack, for 
I sent word to their leader, some time ago, 
that if he ever made another raid into Texas, 
we would come over and take his ranch. 
We will have to fight and they will probably 
make a desperate resistance, but we can 
whip them. 

" I know the kind of men you are. I know 
that your courage is unquestioned and I 
know that there are no better shots in Texas 
than you. You have plenty of ammunition 
and, by keeping cool and listening to orders 
and obeying them strictly, you can take that 
ranch. We are going to attack it at the 
crack of day, and when we do I want you to 
shoot every man you see and to spare none 
but the women and children. I want to 
make an example of these thieves and mur- 
derers and ravishers, and I depend on you to 
help me do it." 

It was a rather long speech, that of the 
Captain's, but it was all to the point, and at 
its conclusion we knew just what we had to 

173 



A TEXAS HANGER 

expect. The Captain had a way of taking 
his men into his confidence at such times, 
and they appreciated it and served him all 
the better for it. 

When he had finished speaking, we moved 
slowly off after him, along a narrow path 
through the willows and brush. The path 
was only a cattle-trail, and it led directly 
away from the river. We marched in single 
file. Ahead of the Captain was a Mexican 
guide who was to show the way to the 
ranch. We marched in dead silence, tread- 
ing carefully through the underbrush so as 
not to make the slightest sound. Armstrong 
and three others rode their horses and fol- 
lowed directly after those on foot. Jesus 
Sandobal was also mounted. 

Just at the peep of day we came to a fence 
across the road. The troop halted there, and 
the Captain walked back along the line and 
told Armstrong that there was a gate in the 
fence a little below where we were. He told 
Armstrong that he wanted him and the other 
mounted men to go through that gate and 
ride through the ranch carefully, and then 
come back and report how matters stood. 
If they ran across any men, they were to 
shoot them. 

173 



A TEXAS EAISTGER 

*' Shoot at everything you see," was the 
Captain's order. 

*' Yes, sir," answered Armstrong. 

McNelly walked back to the head of the 
line and Armstrong, followed by the other 
mounted men, rode by us in the path. As 
they passed, I heard George Hall, who was 
on a horse, say to Armstrong : 

" Armstrong, the Captain's going to have 
us killed." 

*'I guess that's right," answered Arm- 
strong, *^but we're in for it now and we'll 
have to stand it." 

'' Sure," said Hall. 

Notwithstanding the seriousness of the 
situation, the Rangers who were on foot 
could not resist the temptation to poke fun 
at the mounted men. 

" Good- by, if I never see you again," one 
whispered. 

*' Say, Armstrong, bring me a scalp, 
please," said another. 

" I want one of those fancy saddles, cov- 
ered with gold. Hall ; be sure to save one 
for me before you die," came in soft accents 
from a third. 

"You boys are going to hell in a hand- 
basket this time — better think of your 

174 



A TEXAS RANGER 

sins," was the encouraging advice from a 
fourth. 

The Captain went with the mounted Rang- 
ers and let down the bars at the gate for 
them. Then he came back to us. Arm- 
strong led the men with him right into the 
ranch, six-shooter in hand. From him and 
the others I learned afterward how they 
fared. 

They went about a hundred yards beyond 
the fence and came to where the road forked. 
There they found five Mexican soldiers on 
guard as pickets. The Mexicans called to 
the Rangers to halt, and were answered with 
pistol-shots. Armstrong rode right on to 
them and the others followed. There was 
some quick shooting on both sides, at the 
end of which the iive Mexican soldiers lay 
dead. 

The five Rangers went straight on and 
shortly met two other Mexicans, who fired 
at them. They killed the Mexicans and con- 
tinued to ride ahead. 

Of course, we heard all this firing, and the 
Captain was quick to act accordingly. He 
sent half of the troop, with Lieutenant Rob- 
inson, to the right flank, and with the rest 
followed after the mounted men. I was in 

175 



A TEXAS RANGER 

the Captain's squad. By the time we reached 
the place where the five dead men lay, the 
fog was so thick that we couldn't see ten 
yards ahead. Lieutenant Robinson had cir- 
cled in and his detachment joined us at that 
place. They would have fired at us, too, at 
first if Sergeant L. L. Wright hadn't recog- 
nized us in time and prevented it. We were 
still at this spot when Armstrong came dash- 
ing up on his horse. 

** We've taken the place, Captain," he 
cried, exultantly. ** The ranch is ours ! We 
killed all the men we saw — seven of them." 

"Seven?" exclaimed Captain McISTelly. 
'* Seven ? There must be more than seven 
of them. I think there is some mistake. 
Let's go on." 

We went ahead until we came to a ranch- 
house a short distance from where we had 
stopped. A woman was standing in the 
doorway patting a tortilla, or Mexican pan- 
cake, in her hand. 

**What ranch is this?" demanded the 
Captain. 

** Las Cucharas," answered the woman. 

"Where is el Rancho de Los Cuevos ?" 

" Poco mas ahajo, Sefior.^^ (A little further 
below, sir.) 

176 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Then our spirits went down to zero. We 
tried to be cheerful, but the outlook was 
gloomy for taking the thieves' ranch by 
surprise, as we had intended. All the shoot- 
ing must have put its defenders very much 
on the alert, we knew, and our task, at no 
time an easy one, was rendered ten times 
more difficult. 

We met a little boy as we were moving 
slowly along the road the woman had told 
us led to the Los Cuevos ranch. The little 
boy was driving a burro, laden with goat- 
skins of water. 

We asked him where the Los Cuevos 
ranch was and he, too, said : 

^^Poco 7nas abajo/^ but he added that there 
were many men and soldiers there. 

We moved along like a funeral procession, 
for we knew that we had, by our shooting, 
given fair warning of our approach. About 
half a mile's march brought us at last to the 
Los Cuevos ranch. There was no mistaking 
it when we got there. As soon as we came in 
sight of the houses we were met by a storm 
of bullets from the corrals, built of thick 
mesquite and ebony logs, and bullet-proof. 
We were also greeted with yells and Mexi- 
can oaths and abuse of the vilest character. 

177 



A TEXAS RANGER 

We halted in the brush, about two hun- 
dred yards from the corrals, and for a few 
minutes returned the enemy's fire ; but the 
fog grew much thicker and soon hid them 
from sight. Their bullets continued to pass 
over our heads. The four mounted men sat 
on their horses to the right of our line and 
watched the performance with interest, but 
did not attempt to take part in it. They were 
waiting for orders. 

At one time during the firing I remember 
to have seen Durham taking very deliberate 
aim at a shadowy form far ahead, as though 
he were shooting at a squirrel. There was 
something so wonderfully cool and collected 
in his way of shutting one eye and squinting 
along the barrel of his carbine that it im- 
pressed me as comical and I actually shook 
with laughter at him, although I know the 
general run of my thoughts was in a very 
serious channel. 

While we were waiting and wondermg 
what the Captain would next order us to do, 
a troop of the famed Mexican Rurales, or 
bandit cavalry, dashed out from the corrals 
and came directly for our line on the full 
charge. 

We gave them a volley as they came, and 

178 



A TEXAS EANGER 

they swung around to the left in a semi- 
circle. 

** Pick off your men, boys," shouted Cap- 
tain McNelly. "I'll kill that fellow riding- 
ahead myself." 

The Captain's Winchester cracked, and the 
leader of the Rurales pitched from his sad- 
dle. A number of his followers' saddles 
were emptied quickly and the rest of the 
cavalrymen galloped off out of sight. About 
twenty-five men were in their troop. 

There were evidently so many more of the 
Mexicans than there were of us that the 
Captain was puzzled how to act. He called 
George Hall to him and told him to ride up 
on a little rising ground, near the corrals, 
and try to estimate the number of men at 
the ranch. Hall did as ordered, riding under 
fire all the time. He came back in a few 
minutes and reported that, as near as he 
could estimate, about two hundred Mexicans 
were in sight in the corrals. 

" I couldn't see very well, though," he 
said, *'and I may be mistaken as to the 
number." 

The Captain immediately despatched Arm- 
strong to go closer still and see if he could 
make an estimate. Armstrong galloped off 

179 



A TEXAS RANGER 

and went a little closer than Hall had gone. 
Soon he came dashing back and reported 
that he estimated there were about three 
hundred men in the corrals, and that many 
of them were in the uniforms of the regular 
Mexican cavalry. 

** Then you think they outnumber us about 
ten to one ? " said McNelly. 

"That, or more," answered Armstrong. 

Captain McNelly pulled a long black cigar 
from his pocket and put it between his teeth. 
He chewed on the end of it for a minute, in 
a brown study. Then he turned to the men 
and said : 

"Boys, we are in a dangerous position 
here and we'd better get back to the river. 
We only have thirty men and they may get 
reinforcements at any time. We'll fall back 
slowly and I shall expect you gentlemen on 
the horses to keep the Mexicans off our 
rear." 

We started back, expecting at every step 
that the entire Mexican force would be down 
on us and that we should have to make a 
desperate fight for our lives. But, luckily 
for us, the Mexicans suspected a trick and 
thought we were trying to draw them on to 
lead them into an ambush. The main body, 

180 



A TEXAS EAXGER 

then, did not follow us immediately, but 
sent scouts after us, who continually ex- 
changed shots with our little rear guard. 
By the time we reached the river, however, 
the Mexicans saw that we were actually in 
retreat and not playing a trick on them. 
Then they charged on us. 

They came down on us, yelling like devils 
and shooting rapidly, but we had strung out 
along the river-bank then, behind a little 
rise in the prairie, which gave us a sort of 
rude rifle-pit, and we met them with a mur- 
derous fire. 

**Pick off the leaders, men !" cried Cap- 
tain McISTelly. " Don't waste a shot ! Kill 
their leaders ! " 

We did so. We saw man after man tum- 
ble from his saddle, and then we heard the 
rattle of carbines from the Texas side of the 
river and the music of Lieutenant Merritt's 
Gatling gun. The United States troops were 
firing over our heads at the enemy. 

It was too much for the Mexicans, and 
they wheeled and dashed back into the 
brush in full retreat, leaving the Alcalde of 
Camargo, Juan Flores, and a number of 
others dead on the field. These bodies lay 
in full sight from our lines, on a little open 

181 



A TEXAS EANGER 

space which was free from the chaparral. 
The Mexicans formed in line on the other 
side of this open ground, and all the morn- 
ing we kept up the firing, back and forth, 
across it. Twice they dashed out and tried 
to recover the body of the dead Alcalde of 
Camargo, but both times we drove them 
back quickly. 



182 



CHAPTER XII 

Captain Young and Henry Guy Carleton — Correspond- 
ence — McNelly's Disappointment — Abandoned by 
the Army — Drawing the Mexican Fire — A Flag of 
Tmce — The Conference — Twenty-seven Mexicans 
Killed — A Big Bluff that Worked — AiTanging 
Terms — Trying to Back Out — Swimming the Cattle 
Across the River — Letter to Adjutant - General 
Steele. 

During the morning a number of the 
officers of the Eighth Cavalry came over to 
us and joined in the firing, but they took the 
precaution to remove their coats, on which 
were their shoulder-straps, before coming, so 
as not to appear with us in an official ca- 
pacity. They wanted the excitement of the 
fighting and they wanted to help us against 
the superior number of the Mexicans, but 
they were with us without orders. Major 
Alexander having refused to cross the Rio 
Grande with his soldiers without direct 
instructions from Washington. 

Among the officers of the Eighth who 

183 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

came thus "unofficially" to our assistance 
was Captain S. B. M. Young, the same 
man who, as Brigadier-General of Volun- 
teers, commanded the Second Brigade, U. 
S. A., in the recent Santiago de Cuba cam- 
paign. Roosevelt's Rough Riders were in 
Young's brigade, and it was by Young's 
orders that the fight at Las Guasimas, the 
first battle of the Santiago campaign, was 
made. 

Henry Guy Carleton, the playwright and 
litterateur, who comes of a long line of 
fighters, was a lieutenant in the Eighth 
Cavalry, and was also with the command 
under Major Alexander. He it was who, 
by order of Major Alexander, tapped the 
telegraph wire which ran along the Texas 
bank of the Rio Grande and established 
direct communication in the afternoon with 
the office of the Secretary of War at Wash- 
ington. 

About three o'clock in the afternoon a 
messenger came across the river, bearing a 
telegraphic despatch for Captain McNelly. 
I am able to give it and the answer it 
received, verbatim. The despatch handed to 
Captain McNelly was in Lieutenant Carle- 
ton's writing and was as follows : 

184 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Fort Brown, November 20, 1875. 

To Major Alexander, 

Commanding at the Front, 
Advise Captain McNelly to return at once to this 
side of the river. Inform him that you are directed 
not to support him in any way while he remains on 
Mexican territory. If McNelly is attacked by Mexi- 
can forces on Mexican ground, do not render him any 
assistance. Keep your forces in the position you 
hold now and await further orders. Let me know if 
McNelly acts upon your advice and returns. 

(Signed) Potter, 

Commanding District of the Bio Grande. 

By order of the Secretary of War. 

McNelly was white with anger when he 
read this despatch. He had received secret 
instructions from the commanding General 
of the Department of Texas to follow the 
thieves into Mexico and, at the same time, 
had assurances that he would be supported 
in such action by the United States troops. 
He knew that both Colonel Potter and Major 
Alexander had seen his instructions. He 
had depended on their support when he 
crossed the Rio Grande so bravely with 
thirty Texas Rangers. Now that he was on 
Mexican soil and attacked, he was deserted 
*^by order of the Secretary of War" (Bel- 
las 



A TEXAS EANGER 

knap). He was mad right through. He took 
a bit of torn brown wrapping-paper and a 
stub of a pencil, and wrote this in reply : 

At the Front near Los CuEvos, Mexico, 

November 20, 1875. 
To Colonel Potter, 

Commanding District of the Rio Grande, Fort 
Brown, Tex. 
I shall remain in Mexico with my Rangers until 
to-morrow morning — perhaps longer, and shall re- 
cross the Rio Grande at my own discretion. Give 
my compliments to the Secretary of War and tell 
him the United States troops may go to hell. 

(Signed) L. H. McNelly, 

Commanding Texas State Troops, Mexico. 

In the official reports of this affair, on file 
in the office of the Adjutant-General of 
Texas in Austin, is the following from Major 
D. E. Clendennin, Eighth Cavalry, to Adju- 
tant-General Steele : 

I did not deem it best to interfere with McNelly, 
who had secret instructions from the Commanding 
General, Department of Texas, which Colonel Potter, 
commanding the District, had seen, as had also 
Major Alexander, of my regiment. 

(Signed) D. R. CLENDEPra^m, 

Major Eighth Cavalry. 
18G 



A TEXAS EAIsTGEH 

When Captain McNelly last saw Major 
Alexander, before our raid, the latter said 
to him : 

" If you are determined to cross, we will 
cover your return, if we do not cross to help 
you " (vide oflScial reports), but, in spite of 
this promise. Captain MclSTelly and the 
Rangers were told officially in the telegram 
given above that they would have to get 
out of their predicament as best they 
could. 

Captain McNelly showed us the message 
he received and explained the situation to 
us. The men felt as bitter in their anger 
as did the Captain. Like the Captain, they 
expressed themselves vigorously by saying, 
" Let the United States soldiers go to hell ; 
we'll stay and fight it out by ourselves." 

We were not all alone, however, for the 
United States army officers who were with 
us '* unofficially," remained with us, and a 
few of the troopers of their regiment also 
contrived to come over to our assistance. 
They said they " gloried in our spunk." 

The firing slacked up about 3.30 o'clock 
and we could find nothing to shoot at. The 
Mexicans were out of sight in the brush and 
had ceased firing almost entirely. McNelly 

1S7 



A TEXAS RANGER 

put up with this inactivity for about half 
an hour, and that was as long as he could 
stand it. 

" Let's get out into the open and draw 
their fire," he said, coolly, to Armstrong. 
** Then we can see what to shoot at." 

The next minute he and Armstrong were 
walking deliberately out in the open space 
between the lines, just as though there were 
no Mexican bandits or soldiers within a 
hundred miles of them. They strolled lei- 
surely to and fro, far out from our lines, but 
not a shot was fired at them. After awhile 
they came back to us, and then McNelly 
went over to Texas to send despatches, leav- 
ing Lieutenant Robinson in charge of the 
troop. 

I know that MclJTelly attempted to estab- 
lish direct communication with President 
Grant when he crossed the Rio Grande, for 
our Captain knew better than any other man 
at the front how Grant felt about the Mex- 
ican border outrages. He was certain the 
President would back him up in his action 
in crossing, for that his "secret instruc- 
tions " had been inspired by the Silent Man 
in the White House was an open secret to 
all concerned in the Los Cuevos affair. 

188 



A TEXAS KANGER 

Before McNelly could reach the President 
by wire, however, we were surprised to see 
a flag of truce carried out from the Mexican 
lines, and a man was at once sent by Lieu- 
tenant Robinson to the Captain to request 
his return. With the flag of truce were S^ve 
men. They rode half-way to our lines and 
halted, and Lieutenant Robinson detailed 
Armstrong and four men to go out and see 
them and find out what they wanted. 

The leader of the Mexicans with the flag 
of truce was an American. He was a tall, 
handsome man, about forty years old, but 
his hair and long beard were as white as 
snow, giving him a most patriarchal ap- 
pearance at a little distance. A closer view 
showed he had a youthful, ruddy complex- 
ion and deep, soft blue eyes. He wore a fine 
white linen suit and a broad white sombrero. 
He introduced himself as Dr. Headly. 

With a bow of much courtliness, he hand- 
ed Armstrong a carbine with a letter fast- 
ened to it under its hammer. Then he said 
in English : 

** We have come to treat with you, gentle- 
men, and that is our communication to your 
commanding officer." 

*'The commanding officer is on the other 

189 



A TEXAS RANGER 

side of the river," said Armstrong. *'We 
have sent for him and he will be here soon." 

** Where shall we await him ? " 

" Right here, where we are." 

"Very well," said Dr. Headly, '*but, in 
the meantime, suppose we take a smile." 

He put his hand in the nosebag tied to his 
saddle and drew forth a bottle of mescal^ 
which he politely offered to Armstrong. 

" Thank you," said Armstrong, "but I can- 
not drink while I am on duty." 

The white-bearded doctor raised his eye- 
brows in mild surprise and offered the bottle 
to each of the other Rangers, but all declined 
to drink. 

" Ah," said Dr. Headly ; then with a bland 
smile, " you gentlemen must be afraid of 
poison. I am an American myself, and I 
would not play such a trick as that upon 
you, and to convince you that the liquor is 
all right, I here drink to your good health." 

He suited his action to his words and drank 
from the bottle. Then his Mexican compan- 
ions, two of whom were in officers' uniforms, 
drank from the bottle, each in Spanish po- 
litely wishing the good health of the Rang- 
ers. When they had all drunk, the doctor 
again handed the bottle to Armstrong, but 

190 



A TEXAS EANGER 

again it was politely declined. The hand- 
some doctor then became very talkative and 
asked Armstrong a number of questions, but 
Armstrong told him he was under orders not 
to converse with him and begged to be ex- 
cused. 

Presently Captain MclSTelly came, and the 
letter fastened to the carbine was handed to 
him. While he was reading it, the Mexicans 
and their American leader drew off a little 
distance. The Captain was still reading the 
communication when one of our men came 
hurrying from our lines with a message to 
Armstrong from Lieutenant Eobinson. The 
messenger whispered sonriething to Arm- 
strong and waited. 

"What's up?'* called out Captain Mc- 
Nelly, who had observed the action. 

'* Lieutenant Robinson sends word that the 
enemy are advancing/' cried Armstrong in 
a voice loud enough for all to hear. "He 
says the Mexicans are advancing on our 
right. He can hear them close by, in large 
numbers, and he expects the firing to begin 
at any minute.'^ 

" Very well," said the Captain ; " instruct 
your men to kill every one of this flag-of- 
truce party if there is a shot fired." 

191 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Dr. Headly, who heard all that passed, 
seemed greatly perturbed. 

" My God ! " he cried ; ** Captain, you don't 
intend to have us murdered, do you ? " 

**My men will obey my orders ; you may 
call it what you please," answered McNelly. 

" But," said Dr. Headly, *' our troops have 
orders not to fire and not to advance while 
this flag of truce is here. Some of them 
have been drinking hard, and it may be that 
some reckless, drunken fellow will shoot ; 
but, I can assure you, there will be no at- 
tack. I must insist upon you countermand- 
ing that order to your men. It isn't fair, 
while we are standing under a flag of truce, 
to shoot us down like dogs." 

McNelly looked Headly full in the eyes 
and answered : 

^* The life of one of my men is worth more 
than one thousand such as yours and your 
fellows. We are not here for fun." 

" Well, will you permit me to send one of 
our officers back to prevent any accident of 
this kind ? " asked Dr. Headly. 

'' Yes," said McNelly ; '' and I should ad- 
vise him to hurry." 

Headly spoke some words to one of the 
officers with him, and the Mexican hastened 

193 



A TEXAS RANGER 

away. He seemed very glad to have the 
chance to get off, for he and his companions 
fully understood the Captain's orders, Dr. 
Headly having translated them for their 
benefit. After the officer had disappeared 
in the brush, Dr. Headly turned to McNelly, 
and said : 

*' Do you know how many of our men you 
have killed ? " 

** No," said the Captain. 

"You have killed twenty-seven already," 
asserted Dr. Headly, gravely ; " and this 
matter is getting serious. It is time some 
settlement was made. You have invaded 
our country and attacked the citizens and 
soldiers of your sister Republic, and " 

**Stop!" commanded McNelly, abruptly. 
*' I am not here to listen to any long-winded 
harangue. We have come here to recover 
horses and cattle which your men have 
stolen from Texas. If you return them, we 
shall go back to Texas ; otherwise, we shall 
stay here in Mexico." 

" How many men have you ?" asked Dr. 
Headly. *' I may as well tell you that three 
regiments of Mexican troops are on their 
way here from Monterey and from Matamo- 
ras to drive you out of Mexico." 

193 



A TEXAS KANGEE 

** Yes ? Well, you'll need them all," said 
McNelly, with a smile. 

" Why, how many men have you ? " 

*' Enough," said the Captain, '* to march 
from here to the City of Mexico, if neces- 
sary." 

It was a beautiful bluff, and it worked. 
The treating party lost no more time in com- 
ing to terms. It was quickly arranged that 
all the stolen stock should be turned over 
at ten o'clock the following morning to the 
Rangers at Rio Grande City — fifteen miles 
farther up the river. When Dr. Headly and 
the others had signed a paper to that effect, 
the Mexicans were permitted to carry away 
their dead. 

Just at sunset we all recrossed the Rio 
Grande, and very glad we were to be once 
more on Texas soil. 

We were tired and hungry, but we were 
happy, for we had won a big victory. With 
thirty men we had gone ^ve miles on foot 
into Mexico, fought over ten times our 
number, killed twenty-seven of the enemy, 
brought them to terms and reached Texas 
again without the loss of a man. The Mexi- 
cans said afterward that they would cer- 
tainly have annihilated us in Mexico had 

194 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

they known how few we were ; but they 
never thought for an instant that we would 
be such fools as to invade their country with 
but thirty men to fight three or four hun- 
dred. 

That night we had some of a freshly killed 
cow for supper. Epicures will tell you that 
beef is not fit to eat until it has been kept a 
number of days after being killed, but I 
never remember to have tasted any better 
than we had that night. We cooked it by 
thrusting a sharpened stick through a piece 
of it and broiling it in front of a camp-fire. 
We had no salt, but our appetites furnished 
the seasoning, and the supper was delicious 
to us. 

After supper Captain McNelly told Arm- 
strong to pick out fifteen of the horses best 
able to travel and take their riders up the 
river, so as to be at Rio Grande City in the 
morning in time to receive the cattle. The 
poor horses were all nearly famished, but we 
managed to get fifteen that would go the 
fifteen miles required, and started off that 
night, arriving at Rio Grande City before 
daylight. MclSTelly went with us. We 
camped outside the town and gave our 
horses some much-needed grazing. 

195 



A TEXAS RANGER 

In the morning we got breakfast at Rio 
Grande City, and, at ten o'clock, started 
down to the ford to receive the cattle. All 
the townspeople and the soldiers stationed 
at the nearby post knew what we had come 
for, and the bluffs on the river-bank were 
lined with people. 

At the ford we met a small boy who told 
us he had a note for us from the command- 
ing officer of the Mexican soldiers at Ca- 
margo. McNelly read the note. It was long 
and, with much circumlocution, stated that 
as it was Sunday, it was not customary or 
proper to transact business, and so the cattle 
would not be turned over to us until the fol- 
lowing day, Monday. 

V McNelly wrote an answer to the note, in 
which he said he had arranged to receive 
the cattle that Sunday morning ; that he had 
negotiated with officers — soldiers, and had 
supposed that they were gentlemen. Their 
conduct, he added, in now refusing to give 
up the cattle showed that they were any- 
thing h}it gentlemen, and he would not treat 
with them any further, but would take 
matters into his own hands. He read his 
answer to the Rangers, and said : 

*' The cattle are in that pen, over on the 

196 



A TEXAS KANGER 

other side of the river, near the bank. What 
shall we do ? " 

"Go over and take them," answered the 
boys. 

'' That's just what I wanted you to say," 
said the Captain ; " but, as it is a rather 
risky undertaking with our force, I preferred 
that the suggestion should come from some 
of you." 

We dismounted and went across the river 
in the ferry-boat. There were five or six 
of the Rurales, as many customs officers 
and about forty regular Mexican soldiers 
guarding the cattle when we reached the 
other side of the Rio Grande. These men 
drew up in line to receive the Rangers, and 
their commander stepped forward to tal|i: 
to Captain McNelly. The Captain quickly 
stated the object of his visit. The Mexican 
officer said he had no orders to deliver the 
cattle that day, and the chief customs officer 
said export duties would have to be paid by 
us before he could let the cattle go. _ 

This kind of talk did not in the least im- 
prove McNelly's temper, and he began chew- 
ing on the end of a cigar, a sure sign that he 
was excited and dangerous. 

" Those cattle are going to be turned over 

197 



A TEXAS EANGER 

to us now," he said. " As for the claim for 
duty, there was no duty paid when they 
were stolen and brought over here and, by 
the Eternal ! there shall be no duty paid 
now." 

It looked very like a fight then, and Arm- 
strong, at a signal from the Captain, gave 
the command : 

*' Attention ! Load carbines ! Ready ! " 

The effect was ludicrous. As the Rangers 
brought their guns to their hips, preparatory 
to taking aim, the Mexican officers threw up 
their hands and told us to take the cattle as 
soon as we pleased. 

" No," said the Captain, " we don't pro- 
pose to take them ; you'll deliver them prop- 
erly on the other side. Now, if you damned 
scoundrels don't turn in and drive those 
cattle across the river as quickly as possible, 
we'll shoot every one of you." 

The Captain marched us farther from the 
river, so that we had the men and the herd 
between us and the water. Then we made 
the Mexicans undress and swim the cattle 
across to Texas. In this way, they crossed 
two hundred and fifty head. We gave a cow 
to the ferry -man for taking us back, sarcas- 
tically thanked the Mexicans for their kind 

19S 



A TEXAS EANGER 

assistance, and went away from the ferry, 
driving the cattle before us. 

The soldiers from Fort Ringgold, who 
were interested spectators of our move- 
ments, cheered us heartily, and the people of 
Rio Grande City joined in with yells of ap- 
proval. 

Later, we turned over the cattle to their 
owner, Richard King, the wealthiest ranch- 
man in the West at that time. He sent Cap- 
tain McISTelly a check for $1,500 as a reward, 
and this was divided up among the men, 
giving us $50 each. 

McIsTelly's chagrin at the manner in which 
the United States military authorities failed 
to back him up in his attempt to destroy one 
of the most notorious of the raiders' ranches 
in Mexico took form, about two weeks later, 
in the following letter, which he wrote when 
he returned to Brownsville : 

Brownsville, December 2, 1875. 
General William Steele, 

Adjutant-General, Austin, Tex. 
Sir : The condition of this frontier is pitiable in 
the extreme. The lives and property of our citizens 
are entirely at the mercy of the Mexican hordes of 
robbers that infest the banks of the Rio Grande. 
The State forces, be they ever so active, can only 

199 



A TEXAS RANGER 

protect the country in the immediate neighborhood 
of their camp. The hour the camp is moved, it is 
known on the opposite bank of the river, and the 
thieves positively steal stock from the site of the 
camp before the next night. Then, with scarcely an 
exception, all the male population of the ranches on 
the opposite bank, from Matamoras to Piedras Ne- 
gras, are directly engaged in this cattle-stealing busi- 
ness ; and three-fourths of the population of this 
border, for one hundred miles back, are the bene- 
ficiaries of this illicit traffic. So we cannot reason- 
ably expect any very active or efQcient assistance 
from the better-disposed class of people living on the 
border. 

The thieves are getting bolder than ever. For 
a time, immediately after my arrival, I evidently 
alarmed them by throwing out hints of the approach 
of several companies of State troops, and that, on 
their arrival, these long-time robbers would be dealt 
with severely ; but the troops never came, and now 
crossing cattle seems to be going on by wholesale. 

On November 15th, one hundred and twenty-five 
head were crossed, one mile below Ringgold Bar- 
racks. From the 19th to the 21st, two herds, num- 
bering some four or five hundred in all, were crossed 
below Brownsville. About the 9th, one herd crossed 
nine miles below Edinburgh. And so they cross, 
every full moon. They have done the same thing 
for the last ten years, and they will continue to do 
so until the robbers are followed to their fastnesses 
in Mexico and taught that there is no refuge, even in 

200 



A TEXAS EANGER 

the land of " God and Liberty, " for the perpetrators 
of such outrages. 

The policy pursued so long by our Government, 
of policing our border so ineffectually that the raid- 
ers may cross cattle as they please, must now be ad- 
mitted by the most obtuse of its stupid originators 
to be a miserable failure. Criminal I call it, for it 
has permitted our people to be robbed and impover- 
ished, our men murdered and our women outraged. 

Shall this condition of affairs continue? It rests 
with the authorities of the State to answer, yes or no. 
Let the Governor make one more demand on the 
President ; and then, in case the Cuban question, or 
some other Fish affair, prevents the President from 
giving us the protection to which we are entitled un- 
der the Constitution of the United States, let the 
Governor order out the militia of the State to repel 
these invaders. 

Although our State is poor — not yet recovered 
from the effects of the war — I will warrant that 
enough men and money can be raised to put a stop 
to these diabolical outrages, from Texas and by 
Texans. I, for one, will guarantee to raise one com- 
pany for ninety days that shall not cost the State 
one dollar. 

This may look like an extraordinary course, but, 
General, this is an extraordinary condition of affairs. 
These people are American citizens, Texans. They 
are being murdered, robbed, driven from their homes ; 
and shall we wait for the political clock to strike 
the hour for putting a stop to it ? When will the 

201 



A TEXAS RANGER 

hour come ? We have waited ten years, and ten long 
years they have been to the people of this desolated 
border ; and still no signal, no sign of relief. God 
help our frontiersmen if they have to wait ten years 
more I 

With my present force, I can do but little. These 
raids are made from seventy-five to one hundred miles 
from my camp, and by the time I receive information 
and get to the crossing, the raiders are over the Rio 
Grande and safe from our men, as at almost any 
point on the whole line of the river, from Matamoras 
to Piedras Negras, they can gather from one hundred 
to two hundred men to resist us if we attempt a 
crossing. And, now that the regular Mexican cav- 
alry have come from Monterey, it will be much worse, 
as they are anxious to have revenge for our crossing 
at Los Cuevos and forcing them to submit to such 
humiliating terms. 

The regular troops tell the thieves that if we 
ever dare cross again, they will never let one of us 
return to Texas ; but, with two hundred men, I 
could recapture any herd of cattle they might cross, 
in spite of raiders or regular troops, and unless this 
can be done, I would respectfully recommend that 
this troop be ordered elsewhere, or disbanded. It is 
too humiliating to follow the thieves to the bank of 
the river and see our stock on the opposite bank, and 
have the raiders defy us to cross, but crossing with 
my present force is almost certain destruction. 

I was very much annoyed at all those false re- 
ports put out by the Mexican officials of Matamoras 

202 



A TEXAS RANGER 

about our being surrounded and asking for quarter 
at Los Cuevos. The idea of Texans asking quarter 
from robbers, assassins and ravishers ! On the con- 
trary, it was they who asked for terms, and granted 
our demands, and were happy when we left their 
side of the river. They admit having twenty-seven 
killed and nineteen wounded, and our loss was one 
horse wounded. As one of the boys remarked, "We 
went over and came back with our heads and backs 

up." 

Very respectfully, 

(Signed) L. H. McNellt. 



203 



CHAPTER XIII 

Eesults of the Los Cuevos Fight — The Mexicans Com- 
pletely Cowed — Quiet on the Border — Poker-play- 
ing — Shooting Contests — Practical Jokes — Snipe- 
hunting, So-called — Eattlesnake Ventriloquism 
— Comradeship Among the Eangers — Keasons for 
Prevalent Good-nature. 

Despite Captain McNelly's gloomy views, 
as expressed in the characteristic letter I 
have given from his pen, the result of the 
Los Cuevos fight was highly satisfactory to 
the cattle-men, for the raids practically 
ceased while we remained on the lower Rio 
Grande. We had done our work so effect- 
ually, indeed, that we were forced to have 
a very prosaic time for months. We went 
upon many scouts and did plenty of hard 
riding, but we seldom got a chance to do any 
fighting. The Mexicans simply would not 
resist us. If we wanted any of them for 
past offences, all we had to do was to find 
them, and they submitted to arrest with pain- 
ful humility. They seemed completely cowed. 

204 



A TEXAS RANGER 

The border was quieter than it had been 
since the independence of Texas was won. 
Less than fifty young men had done more 
to enforce order on the Rio Grande than 
thousands of the United States troops had 
been able to do in years. Tireless riding, 
deadly shooting, and utter disregard for 
danger caused the Rangers to be dreaded 
by evil-doers, far and wide. The good people 
of the frontier, the hardy settlers and cattle- 
men, were loud in their praises of us, and 
the wealthy ranch-men vied with each other 
in rewarding us for recovering stock. 

But the Rangers were not pleased. The 
quieter life was entirely too tame for us. 
We had had so much exciting adventure 
that the habit had grown on us. The rou- 
tine of camp life was not to our taste. We 
wanted a chance again to do active work at 
the mechanical end of a carbine. Shooting 
blue quail and wild turkeys around camp 
was good enough exercise in its way, but the 
blue quail and the turkeys couldn't shoot 
back, and the exciting element of danger 
was missing. Solitaire is a dull game, 
after poker. 

Speaking of poker, reminds me that the 
Rangers were, one and all, inveterate poker- 

205 



A TEXAS RANGER 

players, and the money we received for 
recovered cattle, and which was equally 
divided among the men, was ever changing 
hands. So was it with our pay of $40 a 
month. In a day or two after pay day, it 
was not unusual for four or five of the more 
lucky ones to have about all the money in 
camp, the rest of the boys going without 
funds, or borrowing until pay day came 
around again. I was never one of the lucky 
ones and was *' flat broke " for months at a 
time, while some of the successful fellows 
were squandering my pay. 

Captain McNelly did not approve of the 
gambling, and one day he sent word from 
Brownsville that he would discharge any 
man who played poker thereafter. .A week 
later, we sent him a round-robin, in which 
we stated that all the signers were confirmed 
poker - players. It was signed by every 
member of the company, excepting the com- 
missioned officers. As we expected, we 
never heard anything further from Captain 
McNelly about the gambling, for he had 
been at too much pains to select his men to 
think of discharging all of them for such an 
offence. 

We practised shooting a great deal and 

206 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

bet on our marksmanship contests. The men 
were nearly all remarkably fine shots, both 
with their carbines and six-shooters. One 
of our favorite methods of practising was to 
ride at a full run past a tree and try to put 
all six shots from a revolver into it as we 
sped by. We also spent much time in prac- 
tising the gentle Texas art of '' drawing a 
gun " quickly from its holster. It isn't the 
best shot who comes out ahead always in an 
impromptu frontier duel ; it is the man who 
gets his six-shooter out and in action first. 

One of our most popular forms of amuse- 
ment was playing practical jokes on each 
other, and some of them were of a pretty 
rough character. I remember one joke we 
played on Rector, a jolly and useful member 
of the troop, albeit so deaf one had to yell at 
him to make him hear. The boys called 
him *'Reck." He was fond of natural his- 
tory, and was never so delighted as when he 
captured a curious insect, or shot a rare bird, 
or killed a fine specimen of a snake. One 
day, one of the boys asked Reck if he'd ever 
gone "sniping." 

"Shooting snipe?" said Reck. "Lots of 
times." 

" No, no," said the Ranger, " not shooting 

207 



A TEXAS KANGER 

them ; catching them in a bag. I thought 
nearly everyone knew about ' sniping.' " 

** Never heard of it," said Reck. " How 
can anyone catch snipe in a bag ?" 

" Oh, it's simple enough when you know 
how," explained the other. *' A party of 
half a dozen or more men start out about 
sundown and go to some marshy place, near 
a river, where the snipe are apt to be at 
night. They take a bag — an old gunny-sack 
is best — and some candles with them. They 
select a likely spot and, when it is quite dark, 
one of the party holds the mouth of the bag 
open and places a lighted candle in front of 
it, on the ground. The others go off and 
make a big circle, which they gradually 
narrow as they approach the one who is 
holding the bag. They beat the chaparral 
and make all the noise they can as they get 
near to him, and they frighten all the snipe 
and start them running toward him, too. 
The snipe are attracted by the light from the 
candle and, as they get close to it, are blinded 
by its rays. They run straight into the 
mouth of the open sack. It's great sport, and 
I know a place, about three miles from here, 
where the snipe are as thick as hops. Let's 
get up a party to go after them to-night." 

208 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Reck was delighted with the idea and a 
party of nine snipe-hunters was quickly 
made up. Strangely enough, all of the men 
except Reck had often been on sniping expe- 
ditions and knew all about them. I was in 
the secret and formed one of the party. 

We started soon after sundown and went 
up the river, led by the Ranger who pro- 
posed the sport. He took us, by winding, 
roundabout paths, to a swampy piece of 
ground where we sank to our ankles at every 
step. The place was swarming with mosqui- 
toes. When we reached what we agreed 
was a favorable spot, we stopped and had an 
animated discussion as to who should hold 
the sack. We all wanted to hold it appar- 
ently, because it was so much more fun to 
bag the snipe than to go tramping around in 
the brush, beating up the birds. Finally 
someone said that it took more skill to beat 
up the snipe than it did to hold the sack and, 
as Reck was green at the work, perhaps it 
would be better to let him have the coveted 
part. The rest agreed to this as a fair solu- 
tion of the question and two candles were 
lighted and stuck in the marshy ground, 
while Reck squatted down and held the 
mouth of the sack open behind them. It 

209 



A TEXAS KANGEE 

took both his hands to hold the sack properly, 
and when we left him the mosquitoes were 
singing in high glee about his head. 

And so we came away from him. To beat 
up the snipe ? Oh, no ; to get by the near- 
est way out of that mosquito-infested marsh 
and back to camp. We reached there 
shortly, and the boys howled with wicked 
delight as we drew graphic pictures of poor 
Reck holding on with both hands to that 
sack, while every mosquito in the swamp 
within sight of the candles made a bee line 
for the spot. 

Reck came into camp about midnight. He 
got lost in hunting it and came near having 
to pass the night in the brush. He brought 
the sack with him and went straight to 
where the man who had invited him to go 
*' sniping " lay asleep. He woke him up and 
all near him with a wild warwhoop. 

"Hello, Reck!" exclaimed the practical 
joker, as he sat up; "did you get any 
snipe ? " 

"You bet your boots I did!" cried Reck, 
as he suddenly shook the contents of his sack 
all over the joker. " Look at all those fine 
fellows." 

The man gave a yell and scrambled to his 

210 



A TEXAS EANGER 

feet. Reck had shaken about two quarts of 
big black ants all over him, and he knew 
from experience that ants in Texas bite like 
fiends. Reck had stumbled over an ant-hill 
in wandering back to camp and gathered a 
lot of them into his sack, so as to get even 
with the sniping party. He did it very 
effectually, for the ants spread in all direc- 
tions and made things decidedly uncomfort- 
able for us the rest of the night. That was 
the last *' sniping" party we ever had in the 
Rangers, but it was far from being the last 
practical joke played. I invented one my- 
self and worked it with wonderful success 
for a long time before I was found out. 

I discovered, one day, quite by accident, 
that I could perfectly imitate the peculiar 
trilling hiss of the rattlesnake. This I be- 
lieve to be a unique accomplishment ; at 
least, I have never met anyone who could do 
it. The sound is made by a trilling tongue- 
movement and a hiss. The first time I tried 
it was one day while riding quietly along the 
road from Brownsville to our camp. It must 
have been a very fine imitation of the rattle- 
snake, even at that first attempt, for my 
horse gave a great leap and nearly unseated 
me, as he shied off about ten feet to one side. 

211 



A TEXAS EANGER 

That set me to thinking, and I felt that if I 
could deceive a horse with the imitation, it 
would be a simple matter to fool a man. 
Having so reasoned, I practised for awhile 
and waited until evening. 

When we had all "turned in," except the 
one Ranger who stood the first two hours' 
guard duty, I thought it time to try the 
effect of my new accomplishment on the 
boys. Some of them were asleep, but most 
were awake. I began to hiss very softly, as 
I lay on my blanket, and gradually increased 
the volume of the sound, until it seemed as 
if a very angry rattler must be close by. 
Four or five of the men sat bolt upright and 
listened. I waited for a few minutes, and 
then "rattled" again. This time more of 
the men sat up and, to avoid suspicion, I did 
likewise. 

I kept on hissing and the excitement in the 
camp grew. Two or three jumped up and 
pulled on their boots, and I did the same. 
We began a cautious hunt for the rattle- 
snake, and whenever I was far enough away 
from the others I started the rattling again. 
In a short time the entire camp was in com- 
motion. We hunted the elusive snake for 
nearly an hour, and most of the boys sat up 

212 



A TEXAS EANGER 

for an hour or two longer after it ceased to 
rattle, for I stopped after awhile and went 
to sleep. 

I played this interesting little game four 
nights in succession before I was caught at 
it. Then the boys entered into a conspiracy 
to keep me awake. For two nights, when- 
ever I tried to sleep, they got around me and 
woke me up. They relieved each other at 
the work. The third night I took a blanket, 
slipped off into the chaparral and slept about 
half a mile from the camp. 

If any of the boys attempted to take a 
siesta in the afternoon, as was quite natural 
in the lazy life about camp, he had a miser- 
able time of it. One favorite way of awak- 
ening a sleeper was to run close by his head, 
dragging a saddle over the ground and 
shouting "Whoa!" at the tops of our 
voices. The sleeping man would think a 
horse was running away close to him and 
would invariably start up in alarm. I have 
seen a man awakened in this way twice 
within an hour, and he was every bit as 
frightened the second time as the first. It 
was impossible to get used to waking up 
that way. 

Another little pleasantry practised was for 

213 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

one of the boys to wait until a number of 
the others were comfortably disposed around 
the camp-fire after supper, and then approach 
and toss a few pistol or carbine cartridges 
into the fire. The resulting scramble to get 
away from the fire was always a source of 
pure delight to the cartridge thrower. We 
became used to this after awhile, however, 
and would rake the cartridges out of the 
fire and keep them. We learned that a car- 
tridge will not explode under such circum- 
stances for a minute or two, and so we res- 
cued them for better use. 

The above are but a few of the thousand 
and one practical jokes which the Rangers 
in McNelly's command were ever perpetrat- 
ing. We were boys, not only in appearance, 
but in our amusements as well. I do not 
remember any instance where practical jok- 
ing led to bad feeling between the joker 
and his victim. Reckless and daring though 
they were, ever ready to jump into the mid- 
dle of a fight against a common enemy, the 
Rangers seldom or never quarrelled among 
themselves. We were like a great band of 
brothers, and our affection for each other was 
genuine. There was not an unpopular man 
in the troop. All were received into the 

214 



A TEXAS RANGES 

common brotherhood. There was no back- 
biting, there were no petty jealousies. Un- 
like most practical jokers, each man was 
willing to be occasionally a victim himself to 
the sport of the others, or, if not exactly 
willing, he never openly objected. 

There was one other good reason for treat- 
ing practical jokes in a good-natured way ; 
every man realized that a fight with any one 
of his fellows would mean a duel to the 
death. I don't believe any knew the ABC 
of "the noble art of self-defence " with nat- 
ure's weapons. Our only weapons of of- 
fence or defence were those which worked 
with a trigger. 



215 



CHAPTER XIV 

After the Kaiders the Desperadoes — Laredo Once More 
— Letter from McNelly to the Adjutant-General — 
Three Thousand Names on the Rangers' Outlaw 
List — Capture of King Fisher and His Band — A 
Precious Gang of Cut-throats — Porter's Record — 
Fisher the Type of Dandy Desperado — All Out at 
Once on Bail. 

The memory of the camp life on the lower 
Rio Grande is a pleasant one to me, but it is 
hardly of such a character as to furnish ma- 
terial for a story of adventure, so, without 
lingering, I shall pass over the time which 
intervened between our big raid into Mexico 
and the day when orders came for us to re- 
move our camp permanently to another por- 
tion of Texas. We had done all that was 
possible with our small force to subdue the 
border thieves, and Captain McN"elly was of 
too active a temperament to be content to 
rest quietly while there was work to do in 
other places. 

The American desperadoes were swarm- 

216 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ing all over Western Texas, and the Sheriffs 
in many counties were powerless to do any- 
thing toward their suppression. The Cap- 
tain decided that the time had come for us 
to take an active part in the problem of re- 
storing order in those counties which were 
overridden and terrorized by fugitives from 
justice of nearly every State in the Union. 
So, one day, the welcome order came for us 
to move camp and we started on a long ride 
up the Eio Grande. 

We travelled slowly — not more than twen- 
ty-five miles a day — and we went as straight 
as possible to Laredo. My feelings upon rid- 
ing into that town were very different from 
those with which I had last ridden out of 
it. Almost the first man I met was Gregorio 
Gonzales, the City Marshal. He treated me 
with marked deference, which, I regret to 
say, I returned with scant courtesy. I was 
not so ready to pass politely over old scores 
as he seemed to be. 

It was May 25, 1876, when we arrived at 
Laredo, and we camped near the town for 
three days. Then we continued our journey 
on toward the Nueces River, where we 
camped not far from the place where I had 
helped Peterson lay out homestead sections, 

217 



A TEXAS RANGER 

over a year before. Here we remained for a 
few days to rest our horses, and then began 
our work of running desperadoes to earth — 
the work which has made Western Texas 
a law-abiding, safe country in which to 
live. 

At the camp near the I^rueces, we learned 
first about the desperado, King Fisher, and 
his notorious gang of horse-thieves, cattle- 
thieves, and murderers. Fisher lived on the 
Pendencia Creek, near the Nueces, in Dim- 
mit County. He had a little ranch there, 
and about forty or fifty of his followers were 
nearly always with him. These men, too 
lazy or too vicious to work for themselves, 
preyed upon the substance of the toiling set- 
tlers. They stole the ranchmen^s horses and 
cattle and robbed their corn-cribs, and they 
did not stop at murder to further their ends. 
Captain McNelly (I was then his field secre- 
tary) wrote, in a letter to the Adjutant-Gen- 
eral, from this part of Texas : 

** You can scarcely realize the true condi- 
tion of this section, from Oakville to this 
point. The country is under a perfect reign 
of terror from the number and desperate 
character of the thieves who infest this re- 
gion. The country is rich in stock, but very 

218 



A TEXAS EANGER 

sparsely settled, and the opportunities and 
inducements to steal are very great. 

** This county (Dimmit) is unorganized and 
is attached to Maverick County for judicial 
purposes. About one-half the white citizens 
of Eagle Pass are friends of King Fisher's 
gang. The remainder of the citizens there 
are too much afraid of the desperadoes to 
give any assistance in even keeping them 
secure after they have been placed in jail, 
and they would never think of helping to 
arrest any of them. On my arrival here, I 
found the people greatly terrified, and on the 
eve of deserting their homes and property 
to save their lives — the homes which for 
years they had defended against Indians and 
Mexicans alternately, and never once 
thought of leaving. Some of the oldest and 
best citizens told me that, in all of their fron- 
tier experience, they had never suffered so 
much as from these white robbers. For 
weeks past they have not dared to leave their 
homes for fear of being waylaid and mur- 
dered. 

** Every house in this part of the county 
has been repeatedly fired into by armed men, 
from fifteen to twenty in number at a time. 
The ranchmen's horses and cattle have been 

219 



A TEXAS RANGER 

driven from their range, and even from pens 
at the houses, until the people are left almost 
destitute of means of support. If anyone 
had the temerity to protest against being 
robbed, he was told that he had just so many 
days to live if he did not leave the country. 
Some of those who had the courage to re- 
main have been foully murdered. 

** As the country is so sparsely settled, 
there are not enough good citizens to defend 
themselves, even if they united to do so. They 
seem perfectly willing to assist me, provided 
the desperadoes are properly secured and 
tried where they will get justice. They will 
not get justice here, even if they are brought 
to trial, which is doubtful. Should they be 
let off and return here, this country would 
be in even a worse condition than it is now. 
No witnesses can be found who will dare to 
testify against the desperadoes, and I am 
told by the Circuit Judge that he is con- 
vinced no jury in the three counties — Dim- 
mit, Maverick, and Live Oak — can be found 
to convict them, notwithstanding all their 
lawless, brutal conduct and the many com- 
plaints made against them. 

*' There is a regularly organized band of the 
desperadoes, from Goliad to the head- waters 

220 



A TEXAS EANGER 

of the Nueces, numbering four or five hun- 
dred men. The band is made up of men who 
have committed crimes in different portions 
of this State and farther east and who have 
run out here for safety. When they get here 
they go to robbing for a livehhood. They 
divide up into parties of twenty-five to forty 
men and form settlements in the different 
counties, communicating with each other 
constantly. They pass the stolen horses 
along the line continually, and are in com- 
munication with other gangs to the north 
of this place and far to the west." 

Some idea of the extent to which the des- 
peradoes swarmed over the western portion 
of Texas may be obtained when I state that 
the Rangers had a printed book, containing 
the names of over three thousand fugitives 
from justice who were known to be or to have 
been in that country. And of the three thou- 
sand names in the book the large majority 
were those of men who were ** wanted " by 
the authorities for crimes of the most serious 
character, such as murder, arson, highway 
robbery, burglary, and horse and cattle steal- 
ing. More than a thousand were murderers, 
and had rewards on their heads ranging 
from a few hundreds to ten thousand dollars. 

221 



A TEXAS EANGER 

As undoubtedly there were very many des- 
peradoes in the country whose names were 
not in the book, it will be seen how formid- 
able were their numbers. 

To break up the organized bands of these 
lawless, desperate men, to hunt them down, 
to 'arrest them and put them in jail, or to 
drive them out of the country, was the work 
we had cut out for us. We had less than 
fifty men ; they had thousands. But we were 
backed by the law and the good- will of all 
the honest frontiers-men — a big factor in our 
favor. And then we made up in self-confi- 
dence and reckless disregard of danger what 
we lacked in numbers. Our successes on the 
lower Rio Grande gave us the feeling that 
we were invincible. We not only did not 
fear the result of a conflict with the des- 
peradoes ; we were eager to try conclusions 
with them. 

The fourth morning after arriving in 
camp, we started for the Pendencia, to ar- 
rest King Fisher and those of his gang who 
should happen to be with him. The Captain 
had received information from some of the 
less timid ranch-men that Fisher was at his 
ranch, making ready, they thought, to go 
on another raid and gather cattle to drive 

223 



A TEXAS EANGER 

north. These men said that Fisher had 
about thirty men with him at that time at 
his place. His house was at Carrizo Springs. 

MclN'elly divided the troop into two squads 
when we started, and we proceeded in the 
direction of Fisher's stronghold, the two 
squads being about two miles apart and 
travelling in parallel lines. Scouts were 
sent out about a mile in advance and told to 
ride half a mile apart and arrest all the men 
they saw. In this way, a number of men 
were picked up and turned over to the main 
troop for safe keeping. We wanted to take 
Fisher and his gang by surprise, and we did 
not propose to be thwarted by his friends 
apprising him of our coming. We went very 
rapidly, and by unused- roads and trails, and 
succeeded in arriving at a point in the chap- 
arral about a quarter of a mile from Fisher's 
house without being seen by any of his men. 

Both squads came together at this place, 
but Captain McNelly divided us again and 
sent part of the troop through the chaparral, 
around to the other side of the house. Then, 
at a pre-arranged moment, we all dashed for 
the house at full speed, six-shooters in hand. 
A fence was in our way, but the horses 
went over it like so many hunters after the 

223 



A TEXAS EANGER 

hounds, and before Fisher and his men per- 
ceived us we were within a hundred yards 
of the place. 

Most of the desperadoes were playing 
poker under the shed-like extension in front 
of the ranch-house. They jumped up and 
started for the house proper to procure their 
arms, but before half of them succeeded in 
getting inside the door, we were on them 
and our six-shooters were cocked and pointed 
at their heads. 

** You'll have to surrender or be killed ! " 
cried MclSTelly to Fisher, who stood half-way 
out of the door, with the lieutenant of his 
band, one Burd Obenchain, but known to his 
companions as Frank Porter. 

Fisher did not move, but Porter half raised 
his Winchester, and coolly looked along the 
line of Rangers. 

'' Drop that gun !" yelled MclN'elly. ''Drop 
it, I say, or I'll kill you." 

Porter looked McNelly squarely in the eyes, 
half raised his rifle again, and then slowly 
dropped it to his side, and with a sigh leaned 
it against the side of the house. 

'' I reckon there's too many of yer to 
tackle," he said, calmly. *'I only wisht Pd 
a-seen yer sooner." 

224 



A TEXAS SANGER 

The other men gave up without a strug- 
gle. They were badly frightened at first, for 
they thought we were members of a vigi- 
lance committee, come to deal out swift jus- 
tice to them and hang them by lynch law. 
They were agreeably disappointed when they 
discovered we were the Rangers, officers of 
the law of Texas. 

There were only nine of the desperadoes at 
the house at the time, but a precious gang of 
outlaws and cut-throats they were. Here 
are their names : J. K. Fisher, known as 
** King '^ Fisher ; Burd Obenchain, alias 
Frank Porter, wanted for murder and cattle- 
stealing, as desperate a ruffian as ever the 
Texas border knew ; Warren Allen, who 
shot a negro in a bar-room at Fort Clark for 
drinking, at the same bar with him, and 
then deliberately turned and finished his 
own drink and ordered another ; Bill Tem- 
pleton, horse-thief ; Al Roberts, Will Wain- 
wright, Jim Honeycutt, Wes Bruton, and 
Bill Bruton. All of them were " wanted " 
for numberless crimes. They were the head 
men of the gang of murderers and all-round 
criminals. 

Porter had followed a man all the way 
from Kansas to Southwest Texas to kill him. 

225 



A TEXAS EANGER 

He rode up to where his enemy had camped 
one evening and dismounted. 

*' Howdy," said Porter. 

** Howdy," said the man. 

*^ I haven't seen yer fur some time ; how're 
yer gettin' along ? " said Porter. 

** Pretty so-so," said the man. **How're 
youdoin'?" 

** Only tol'ble," said Porter ; " I'm plumb 
wore out, ridin' an' campin' on yer trail. I 
reckon yer know what I've come fur ? " 

"Yes," said the man, *'I reckon I do. 
Ain't yer goin' to gi' me no chanst ? " 

" Nary chanst," said Porter ; ** Fm a-goin' 
ter kill yer right where yer be, but I ain't in 
no hurry ef yer don't move fur yer gun. 
Le's have supper first ; I wanter talk to yer." 

Then this villain calmly ate his supper at 
the man's camp-fire, and, after he finished 
it, deliberately shot and killed his host. 

A few weeks before we arrested them, King 
Fisher and Frank Porter, by themselves, 
stole a herd of cattle from eight Mexican 
vaqueros who were driving the herd for its 
owner, near Eagle Pass. Fisher and Porter 
rode around the herd and killed every one of 
the eight Mexicans. The vaqueros were all 
buried together, and the place where they 

226 



A TEXAS EANGER 

were buried was known as " Frank Porter's 
Graveyard." I saw it afterward. 

Fisher had the reputation of having killed 
twelve men — '^not counting Mexicans." I 
am quite serious in writing this. The tak- 
ing of a Mexican's life by the white des- 
peradoes was of so little importance in 
their eyes that they actually didn't count 
such an 'incident" in their list of ** kill- 
ings," as the murders were styled by them. 
Only white victims were reckoned by notches 
on their six-shooters. A glance at the handle 
of a " bad man's " six-shooter was sufficient 
to determine how many men he had mur- 
dered, as he kept tally by cutting a little 
notch for each life taken. 

Fisher was about twenty-five years old at 
that time, and the most perfect specimen of 
a frontier dandy and desperado I ever met. 
He was tall, beautifully proportioned, and 
exceedingly handsome. He wore the finest 
clothing procurable, but all of the pictu- 
resque, border, dime-novel kind. His broad- 
brimmed white Mexican sombrero was pro- 
fusely ornamented with gold and silver lace 
and had a golden snake for a band. His fine 
buckskin Mexican short jacket was heavily 
embroidered with gold. His shirt was of the 

237 



A TEXAS KANGER 

finest and thinnest linen and was worn open 
at the throat, with a silk handkerchief knot- 
ted loosely about the wide collar. A brilliant 
crimson silk sash was wound about his waist, 
and his legs were hidden by a wonderful 
pair of chaparejos, or ^^ chaps," as the cow- 
boys called them — leather breeches, to pro- 
tect the legs while riding through the brush. 
These chaparejos were made of the skin of a 
royal Bengal tiger and ornamented down the 
seams with gold and buckskin fringe. The 
tiger's skin had been procured by Fisher at a 
circus in Northern Texas. He and some of 
his fellows had literally captured the circus, 
killed the tiger and skinned it, just because 
the desperado chief fancied he'd like to have 
a pair of tiger-skin "chaps." His boots were 
of the finest high-heeled variety, such as 
cowboys love to wear. Hanging from his 
cartridge-filled belt were two ivory-handled, 
silver-plated six-shooters. His spurs were of 
silver and ornamented with little silver bells. 
He was an expert revolver-shot, and could 
handle his six-shooters quite as well with his 
left hand as with his right. He was a fine 
rider, and rode the best horses he could steal 
in Texas or Mexico. Among the despera- 
does, the stolen horses were known as ''wet 

328 



A TEXAS EANGER 

stock" — i,e,, horses which had been stolen 
in Mexico and swum across the Rio Grande 
to Texas, or vice versa. 

We took the men with us at once to Eagle 
Pass and put them in jail there. We tied 
the feet of the prisoners to their saddle-stir- 
rups and then tied the stirrups together 
under the horses' bellies. We also tied the 
desperadoes' hands to the pommels of their 
saddles and led their horses. Before we 
started, Captain McNelly told us, in the 
hearing of the prisoners and of Fisher's wife 
— a pretty girl, with wonderfully fine, bold 
black eyes — that if any of our prisoners 
attempted to escape, or if an attempt was 
made to rescue them, we were to kill them 
without warning or mercy. That is, or was, 
known on the frontier as la ley de fuga, the 
shooting of escaping or resisting prisoners. 
It was well understood among the outlaws, 
and was a great protection to the officers 
who were compelled to carry prisoners for 
long distances over the sparsely settled 
country. The knowledge of this rule of the 
border prevented members of a desperado 
gang from attempting to rescue prisoners, 
for such an attempt meant instant death to 
the captives. 

229 



A TEXAS RANGER 

It was about forty miles, in a westerly di- 
rection, from Carrizo Springs to Eagle Pass, 
the county seat of Maverick County, situat- 
ed on the Rio Grande, directly opposite the 
Mexican town of Piedras Negras, now called 
Ciudad Porfirio Diaz. Only a part of the 
Ranger troop went with the prisoners ; the 
others, including Captain McNelly, went 
into camp, and scouting parties were sent 
out in various directions to try and capture 
other members of King Fisher's gang. As 
soon as the prisoners were turned over to 
the Sheriff of Maverick County and put in 
the little jail in Eagle Pass, the Rangers 
who had guarded them returned to Carrizo 
Springs. 

Two days later, while we were on our way 
to Eagle Pass with more prisoners, we met 
King Fisher and his men returning to Carrizo 
Springs. They were out on bail, although 
charged with murder and many other seri- 
ous crimes. Fisher calmly told Captain 
McNelly that he was out under $20,000 bail, 
and that any member of his gang could get 
all the bail he wanted at any time. 

*^ Very well," said McNelly, '^ if the people 
of this section want such men as you run- 
ning over their country and stealing and 

230 



A TEXAS RANGER 

murdering, they are welcome. There is no 
use in working my men night and day for 
such a farce as this. Turn the prisoners 
loose, boys." 

We untied the bonds of our new prisoners 
and let them go. Afterward, we learned 
that Fisher had sent some of his friends 
around to the merchants and wealthier cit- 
izens of Eagle Pass with the message that he 
wanted them to go bail for him and the 
other prisoners in the jail. The merchants 
well knew that if they refused Fisher's *' re- 
quest" they would probably be robbed and 
murdered, and so they hastened to do as he 
wished. A scared justice of the peace and a 
timorous sheriff made the arrangements for 
giving the bonds and the men were quickly 
freed, to continue their work of terrorizing 
the country where they had for so long held 
sway. 

McNelly was not through with the des- 
peradoes of Fisher's band, but he knew that 
he would have to deal with them in another 
way and at another time, and he wisely con- 
cluded to draw off his forces and so give 
them a feeling of security which later would 
bring trouble upon them. 

*^ If we ever come up here again, we'll 

231 



A TEXAS EANGER 

come to kill," was all the Captain said to 
Fisher. " If you keep up your system of 
robbery and murder, you'll hear from us." 

Fisher laughed, and said he would be de- 
lighted to see the Rangers at any time and 
entertain them to the best of his ability. 
Then we came away. 



232 



CHAPTER XV 

State of Affairs in Atascosa County — Women Armed 
with Derringers — Lieutenant Hall Joins the Rang- 
ers — My Turkey-shooting Adventure — Numerous 
AiTests by Hall — All Prisoners Liberated on Straw 
Bail — Rule of King Fisher. 

We struck out across the country toward 
the southeast and made many arrests, here 
and there, in La Salle, McMuUin, and Live 
Oak counties, and also in Frio and Atascosa 
counties. Most of the men we arrested were 
fugitives from justice from other parts of the 
State, and we were constantly employed tak- 
ing them to the county-seats, where they 
were turned over to the sheriffs for safe- 
keeping until officers from the counties 
where they were wanted came for them. All 
this section of Texas was in a lawless state, 
and I remember that, in Atascosa County 
alone, there was a murder nearly every day. 
Men were waylaid on the roads and shot 
down, or murdered in their homes by assas- 
sins shooting at them through the windows. 

233 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Every ii?an went armed. A woman buy- 
ing calico or groceries in one of the country 
stores was waited upon by a clerk who had 
a six-shooter dangling from his belt. School- 
teachers carried their guns with them to the 
school-houses. Ministers — parsons they were 
called, as a rule — went armed to church and 
preached to armed congregations. Men 
looked carefully to the placing within easy 
reach of their revolvers, rifles, or shot-guns 
before retiring for the night. 

Even women carried derringers in many 
parts of the country, particularly the wives 
of ranch-men. When the husbands were 
away from the ranches, the women knew 
that their best protectors were those provid- 
ed with easy-working triggers. The country 
was ^'on the shoot," to use a colloquial bit of 
slang, and the six-shooter was the supreme 
arbiter of most disputes. Little boys were 
taught to handle and fire pistols and rifles 
with accuracy, long before they were taught 
the alphabet. 

I wish to emphasize the fact here that, 
with the passing of the desperado from 
Texas, the necessity for going armed disap- 
peared, and at this time no man, except he 
be an officer of the law, or a wild and quar- 

234 



A TEXAS EANGER ' 

rel -seeking cowboy, thinks it requisite to 
"■ tote a gun." More pistols are carried now 
by men in New York City than in Texas. 
Life is as safe in the Lone Star State as it is 
in the metropolis of America, and all old 
Texans will bear me out in saying that the 
Rangers made it so. 

We went on to Oakville and made our 
camp there, scouting in squads throughout 
Live Oak and the adjoining counties, and 
making many arrests of men who were 
*' wanted." There was no difficulty in find- 
ing them, or in arresting them when found, 
for already they were beginning in that part 
of the country to have a wholesome respect 
for the Rangers, with their ever-ready six- 
shooters. The outlaws had long laughed 
the sheriffs and their deputies to scorn, 
but they found in the Rangers a wholly 
new force, with which it was not so easy 
to deal. 

We put in several months at this work, 
and it was while we were in camp at Oak- 
ville that Jesse Lee Hall joined the troop as 
Second Lieutenant, having been appointed to 
that office by the Governor. Hall succeeded 
McNelly to the command of the troop in the 
following year, when McNelly died, and he 

235 



A TEXAS EANGER 

became one of the greatest terrors to evil- 
doers ever known in the Southwest. 

Jesse Lee Hall was born in Lexington, 
K C, in October, 1849. He came of old Rev- 
olutionary stock by both his parents. His 
ancestors had settled in North Carolina in 
the early part of the eighteenth century, 
coming from the northern English colonies, 
where their forefathers had lived since early 
in the seventeenth century. Among Hall's 
ancestors were the famous General Giles 
Mebane, and Governor Stanford, of North 
Carolina. 

Hall went to Texas when he was twenty 
years old, and shortly after became a deputy 
sheriff in Grayson County, on the line of the 
Indian Territory, where he did such good 
work that his fame as an officer attracted 
wide attention. In the winter of 1876, Hall 
was appointed Sergeant-at-Arms of the lower 
house of the Texas Legislature, and so be- 
came well acquainted with Governor Hub- 
bard. His appointment to the lieutenancy 
of the Eangers followed. 

I shall never forget the afternoon he first 
rode into our camp, just below Oakville. 
We had heard that he was coming and that 
he was a hard man to deal with, but we soon 

236 



A TEXAS RANGER 

discovered that he was a splendid fellow, 
full of fun, of charming manners, and only 
" nasty " when dealing with outlaws. His 
hair was bright red, and he soon got the nick- 
name of ^*Red Hall," which clung to him 
ever after. When he rode into our camp 
that afternoon, early in August, 1876, the 
first thing he did was to sing out : 

'* Say, have any of you boys got a chew of 
tobacco ? I'm Hall." 

We liked that, and we invited him to get 
down and have something to eat. He did 
so. Then we beguiled him into telling us 
some stories of his life as Sergeant-at-Arms 
at the State capital. We didn't want to hear 
the stories so much, but we did want to have 
a little fun with our new Lieutenant. We 
had it. When he began telling the stories 
he had an audience of about thirty Rangers. 
Pretty soon, one of the boys got up and 
went away. Then another arose and quietly 
moved off. Then a third stole from the circle. 
In two minutes, Lieutenant Hall was telling 
his yarns to the camp-fire, all by himself. 

He stopped, and the boys howled in sheer 
delight at his discomfiture. 

*' You're a tough lot," said Hall, with a 
grin. 

237 



A TEXAS EANGER 

I think it was while we were camped at 
Oakville that I had a little turkey-shooting 
adventure which caused much hilarity in 
the camp. I had been off hunting some 
horses which had strayed away from our 
range and was returning to camp, not hav- 
ing found them. Suddenly, I heard the 
gobble of a turkey, off to one side, in the 
mesquite chaparral. The country was full 
of wild turkeys and quail, and they made a 
welcome addition to the ordinary camp fare. 

As soon as I heard the turkey, I slipped 
from the saddle, pulled my carbine from its 
scabbard under the stirrup-leather and crept 
off into the chaparral. I had not gone far 
before I spied the big turkey-gobbler with 
half a dozen turkey-hens. I took very delib- 
erate aim at him and fired. The gobbler fell 
over and fluttered about on the ground for 
a minute, but I rushed up and grabbed him 
and wrung his neck. 

He was a gigantic bird, and I felt good as 
I carried him back to where my horse was 
standing and tied him to the saddle. I was 
just tying the last knot when I heard a 
shout. I turned my head and saw, not 
twenty yards away, a ranch fence which I 
had not noticed before. A man was coming 

238 



A TEXAS KANGEE 

toward me, shouting and gesticulating 
wildly. In a second, I realized the situation. 
I had shot his tame turkey -gobbler. Wild 
turkeys and tame turkeys look very much 
alike, particularly when they are running in 
the brush, and the mistake was a natural 
one. But I didn't believe I could explain it 
to the owner's satisfaction at that time. He 
didn't look as if he was amenable to reason. 
He was swearing like a trobper and saying 
unkind things. I hadn't a cent to pay him for 
his turkey and I didn't want to fight him for it. 

So I waved my hand in a careless, happy 
farewell to him and started off on a gallop, 
the turkey flopping up and down behind me 
in great style. 

When I reached camp, I flung the turkey 
off and the boys began plucking it in a 
hurry. They wanted to cook it for supper. 
Ko one seemed to notice that it wasn't a wild 
turkey and I didn't enlighten them as to its 
domesticity. 

We fried the turkey and were eating it in 
full enjoyment of its lusciousness, when my 
friend, its former owner, rode into camp. 

*' Which one o' you fellers shot my 
turkey ? " he called out from the saddle. 

*' Get down and have some supper," 

239 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

answered Durham, who grasped the situa- 
tion instantly. 

" I don't want no supper ; I want the man 
who shot my turkey." 

** You must have come to the wrong place, 
friend," said Durham. ''No one here has 
shot your turkey. I haven't seen a turkey 
in a month. Any of you boys seen a turkey 
around here ? " 

Durham held a leg of the turkey in his 
hand as he put the question. The boys all 
answered in the negative, with their mouths 
full of turkey. 

"Why, doggone ye," said the farmer, 
'* you're eatin' my turkey, right now ! " 

" You are mistaken, sir," said Horace 
Rowe, carefully picking a wing of the bird ; 
"this is a meleagris americana which we 
are devouring, and we beg that you will 
accept of our poor hospitality and join us in 
getting away with it." 

This display of learning seemed to stagger 
the farmer. He dismounted and sat down 
on the ground with us. Soon he was eating 
a piece of the turkey. He picked some of the 
feathers up and carefully examined them. 

" That was my turkey all right,'' he said, 
gravely. 

240 



A TEXAS EANGER 

"Very well," I put in, **if one of the boys 
really did shoot your turkey, you point him 
out and we'll arrest him and take him to the 
justice of the peace in Oakville." 

"Yes ; pick him out, pick him out ! " cried 
the others. 

The man looked all around at the faces 
and finally picked out Rector. 

Rector proved an alibi by half the men in 
camp. Then the farmer pointed out another 
man ; but we said he couldn't go on guess- 
ing that way, and he himself agreed it 
wouldn't be quite fair. At last he gave it up 
in despair. Then I gave him a dollar, which 
I borrowed, and he went away satisfied. 

But I kept on hearing about that turkey 
for a long, long time afterward. The Rang- 
ers had a pleasing little way of keeping any 
awkward episode fresh for an unbearable 
length of time. 

In the latter part of August, Hall took 
eleven men and went in command of them 
on his first scout as a Ranger officer. He 
went to Goliad and did the Sheriff's work 
during the suspension of that officer for mal- 
feasance in office. Hall and his men made 
about twenty arrests of desperate men on 
the trip. 

241 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Hall also gave assistance to the sheriffs 
of other counties in quieting disturbances 
which arose among the cattle-men. Among 
those he arrested were George McCarty, 
Wesley Bruton, and Charles Bruton, all des- 
peradoes of the worst type. He turned them 
over to the Sheriff of Dimmit County, and 
they were turned loose on straw bail, at 
the demand of King Fisher. Early in Sep- 
tember, Hall and his men were on duty at 
the session of the District Court in Live Oak 
County, to keep order. 

As I was not with Hall I cannot give any- 
thing but a bare record, in a general way, 
of his work at this time ; but that it was 
good and showed him to be a fearless and 
efficient officer there can be no doubt, for, 
at a later date, I had an opportunity to see 
him under circumstances to try the nerves 
of the bravest man, and he was chillingly 
cool then. 

Those of us who were left in camp at Oak- 
ville grew very tired of our life there, for it 
was any tiling but active. Most of my time 
was put in herding horses. I remember that 
I stampeded them one afternoon by shooting 
at an antelope, and a weary hunt I had be- 
fore I got them together again. 

2^3 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Early in September, we received word that 
a Mexican had been murdered near a sheep- 
corral about twelve miles from camp. Ser- 
geant Orrell took six or seven of us with him 
to investigate the matter. We arrived at 
the corral after dark and camped for the 
night. The weather was insufferably hot, 
and I could not sleep for a long time. It 
was not only the heat which kept me awake, 
but a horrible odor which came from I didn't 
know where. At last I fell asleep and 
dreamed of ghastly forms and blood-curdling 
adventures. I awoke, utterly unrefreshed, 
at dawn. I looked about me, and there, not 
six feet from where I lay, was the body of 
the murdered Mexican. 

I had slept with that grewsome thing al- 
most within arm's reach all night. He had 
been shot in twenty places and presented a 
terrible appearance, for the body had lain 
in the hot sun all the afternoon. My break- 
fast was limited strictly to black coffee that 
morning. We never succeeded in catching 
the murderers of the man. They escaped to 
Mexico. 



243 



CHAPTER XYI 

Off for a Long Scout — Taking Everybody Prisoner — 
Capture of Noley Key — The Birds Flown — Attack on 
the Camp — Two Hundred Shots in Four Minutes — 
A Hand-to-hand Fight — Death of the Guide — Mc- 
Alister's Ingratitude — En route for Eagle Pass — 
Arrest of an Embezzler. 

Late in September, Sergeant Armstrong 
told us, one afternoon, that we were to go on 
a long and important scout with him — Mc- 
Nelly had gone to San Antonio, sick — and 
he added, ** I believe we'll be lucky enough 
to have a fight before we get through." 

He was right. We not only had the fight, 
but we succeeded in breaking at last the 
reign of terror which King Fisher and his 
gang had established. 

It was raining the morning we left camp, 
twenty-five strong, and started by an old, un- 
used trail up the Nueces River. All day long 
the rain poured down in torrents, wetting us 
to the skin. I remember how, after empty- 
ing the water out of my pistol holster two 

244 



A TEXAS RANGER 

or three times, I cut the end of the holster 
off, so that it would not hold water. 

When we camped that night it was hard 
work to start the camp-fires, for everything 
in the way of fuel was soaked. Our plan 
under such circumstances was to get a piece 
of dead wood and split it so as to get the dry 
core. This we cut up fine and so started a 
little blaze which had to be carefully nursed 
until, by gradually adding larger and larger 
pieces, enough of a fire was under way to 
receive wet sticks and dry them. 

I lay in two or three inches of water that 
night, on the ground, and protected my face 
with my hat to keep the cold rain-drops from 
hitting it. My clothes and blankets were 
wringing wet, but so were those of every 
man in the party. The next day the rain 
continued as hard as ever, and so it was for 
the ten days we were on the march up the 
Nueces. There was not a minute that it 
cleared off. The river, which ordinarily was 
a small enough stream, was so swollen that 
it was three or four miles wide in places. 
Every night we lay in the rain and every 
morning we started out again to ride in it. 

In any other country, the sick-list would 
doubtless have been a large one under such 

245 



A TEXAS RANGER 

conditions, but the Rangers suffered no ill 
effects from the continuous drenching. Hor- 
ace Rowe, who was inclined to be consump- 
tive, improved wonderfully in health on the 
trip and gained in weight. The spirits of the 
men never lagged for a moment. We were 
all as happy as so many ducks in a mud- 
puddle, and more practical jokes were played 
than there is room to tell about. I remem- 
ber, one evening, two of the men and I 
hunted for an hour for a fictitious shepherd's 
hut to sleep in, carrying our blankets with 
us through the chaparral until we gave it up 
in despair and lay down on the ground to 
sleep until morning. The boys had a good 
laugh at our expense the next day. 

All the way up the Nueces we took every 
man prisoner we met and made him fall in 
with us. By the time we reached Carrizo 
Springs we had over a score of these prison- 
ers, but we effectually prevented the news 
of our advance upon Fisher's stronghold 
from becoming known, for it was his gang 
of desperadoes we were after. 

On the night of October 1st, we reached a 
point near Fisher's house, and succeeded in 
capturing one Noley Key, a member of his 
gang. I know not what threats Armstrong 

246 



A TEXAS EANGER 

used to Key, but he at the last willingly 
acted as our guide. He told Armstrong that 
Fisher and his men were away from home. 
We surrounded the settlement and closed 
in on it, only to find that Key told the truth 
and that no one was there but the women 
and children. 

But Armstrong did not give up. He took 
Key aside and drew from him the informa- 
tion that a band of horse-thieves were in 
camp on the banks of Lake Espintosa, six or 
seven miles distant. Key told Armstrong 
that seven men were in the band, and that 
they had forty or fifty stolen horses which 
they were going to drive farther north in 
a few days. 

Armstrong immediately divided his men, 
sending eighteen of the Rangers down to an- 
other desperado settlement and taking six 
with him to go to the lake. The six were 
Devine, Durham, Evans, Boyd, Parrott, and 
myself. Key acted as our guide and we 
started off. The rain had ceased during the 
afternoon and a full moon was riding high 
in the heavens. 

We rode slowly for about an hour and then 
turned off into some woods, where we dis- 
mounted. Key pointed out the location of 

247 



A TEXAS EANGER 

the thieves' camp and then was told to re- 
main where he was, with Evans and Devine 
who were left in the woods in charge of 
the horses. 

"Boys," said Armstrong to the four men 
who were left with him, **we are going to 
capture those thieves or kill them. The rea- 
son I did not bring more men along was 
because I was afraid that these fellows 
wouldn't resist us if we were so many. Key 
tells me that they stood off the Sheriff and 
his posse a few nights ago, and so they'll be 
looking for officers and be prepared to fight. 
That's just what we want. If they will only 
fire at us, we can rush in on them and kill 
the last one of them. Nothing but that will 
break up this gang. I only hope they'll show 
fight. Now, come along and don't make 
any noise." 

We advanced slowly and cautiously 
through the brush, and soon came to a wide, 
open space, near the lake. We looked across 
the open space and saw the camp-fire of the 
horse-thieves' camp, but could see no one 
stirring. Very cautiously, bending down 
and moving as swiftly as we could in that 
position, we approached the fire. We were 
within twenty-five yards of it, when sud- 

248 



A TEXAS EANGER 

denly a figure rose and a yell split the 
silence. 

"Here they come, boys! Here they 
come ! " shouted the man who had arisen. 
In an instant the seven men at the camp 
were up and the one who had shouted fired 
at us. 

I heard Armstrong cry, " Damn you, you'll 
shoot at an officer, will you ? " and then the 
firing grew furious on both sides. We 
rushed in on them and there was a continual 
blaze from the firearms. 

Just in front of me was a man emptying 
his six-shooter at me and I raised my car- 
bine and fired at him. The moment before 
I fired he had his mouth wide open, yelling 
curses at me ; but with my shot he dropped 
like a log. I thought I had killed him and 
turned my attention to the others, but, 
except for one man with whom Boyd was 
having a fierce hand-to-hand fight with 
knives, all were either dead or had jumped 
into the lake. 

Over .and over rolled Boyd and the des- 
perado, but in the end Boyd jerked himself 
loose, his knife dripping with the thief's 
heart-blood. 

The fight lasted not more than three or 

249 



A TEXAS RANGER 

four minutes, but in that time fully two 
hundred shots were fired. We turned over 
the bodies of the dead men. They were 
all well-known desperadoes — John Martin, 
alias ** One-eyed John;" "Jim" Roberts, and 
George Mullen. The man whom I shot was 
named McAlister. I was bending over and 
looking at his face, when I saw his eyes 
move. 

** Hello !" I cried ; "this man isn't dead." 

McAlister looked straight at me and began 
to beg for his life. 

" For God's sake, gentlemen, don't kill 
me," he begged piteously. "For God's sake 
don't kill me ! " 

" 'No one wants to kill you," I said. " We 
are not murderers. Would you like some 
water ? " 

He murmured that he would, and I took a 
tin cup from beside the camp-fire and went 
down to the lake and dipped it full of water. 
When I returned to him, I put it to his lips 
and he drank. He told me he was wounded 
in the leg and a part of his jaw was also 
shot away. I thought he would surely die, 
but we promised to send a wagon for him 
and made him as comfortable as we could 
before we left him. Then we returned to 

350 



A TEXAS SANGER 

where we had left our horses with Devine 
and Evans. 

As I was walking silently along in the 
woods with the rest of the boys, I heard sud- 
denly, close in front of me, the sharp click 
of a gun being cocked, and the quick com- 
mand : 

'' Halt ! " 

I stopped so quickly that I nearly fell over 
backward. It was Devine who gave the 
command, and in a moment we told who we 
were. Evans stood close to Devine. 

" Where's Noley Key ? " asked Armstrong. 

**Dead," said Devine. 

'^Dead?" 

'*Yes. When he heard the firing, he 
jumped up and started to run, and we fired 
at him. One of us killed him, for there's a 
bullet-hole in his back." 

We went over and looked at Key where 
he lay, face downward. I felt badly about 
him, for on the way to the camp he had been 
talking in a pleasant way to me and I had 
given him some tobacco. He was no great 
loss to the community, however, for he was 
a well-known horse-thief. 

Before I go on with the record of this 
night's adventures, I may say that McAl- 

251 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ister recovered and, so far as I know, is 
alive to this day. When I went to Texas, in 
1892, he turned up one day in San Antonio 
and told some men in a bar-room that he 
was there for the express purpose of killing 
me. 

** I've been camping on his trail for sixteen 
years," he said ; *' and now I'm going to kill 
him for shooting my jaw off that night." 

I was told of this, and I lost no time in 
getting a six-shooter. Then I went on a 
hunt for McAlister. I thought I should 
know him, with his disfigured face, a good 
deal quicker than he would know me, and I 
relied on the virtue of *^ the drop," the Texas 
way of expressing the advantage of being 
prepared to shoot before the other man is 
ready. 

It got to McAlister's ears that I was after 
him, and he left town in a hurry. Captain 
Hall told me afterward that he knocked 
this same man down one day, a few years 
before, for using threatening language. I'm 
afraid Brother McAlister is just a trifle re- 
vengeful and ungrateful. 

As soon as we mounted our horses again, 
that night of the fight, we rode over to a 
ranch, about three miles away, on the banks 

253 



A TEXAS EANGER 

of the Nueces. We found four men sleeping 
in the yard of the ranch-house, and awa- 
kened them by uncovering them with the 
muzzles of our carbines. It must be a little 
alarming to wake up suddenly in the dead 
of night and find a number of heavily armed 
strangers yanking the covering from one by 
the aid of gleaming gun-barrels. If I re- 
member correctly, those men did not look 
pleased at the proceeding ; but they did not 
protest very loudly. They just lay still and 
shivered with fright until we told them to 
get up. We had only been looking under 
their blankets for arms, so that they would 
not attempt any resistance, for we had had 
enough bloodshed for one night. Two of the 
men Armstrong decided that he wanted, 
and we made them saddle their horses and 
go with us. Then we returned to where we 
had parted from the other squad of Rangers. 
Going back along the road, I was on the 
right hand of one of our prisoners. I believe 
Boyd was on his other side. We were sup- 
posed to guard them, but both Boyd and I 
went to sleep as we rode. We were com- 
pletely tired out. Suddenly I was awakened 
by a confused sound of shouting voices and 
the rattling of a wagon. For a moment I 

253 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

hadn't the least idea where I was or what the 
noise could be, and I was panic-stricken. 
My nerves, after all the shooting, were, I 
suppose, in a shaky condition, and the sud- 
den awakening was horrible in the extreme. 

That I was not alone in experiencing these 
sensations I discovered later, for nearly 
every man on that ride was asleep. Our 
prisoners could have escaped with ease if 
they had dared. Boyd described his awa- 
kening to me that night in a manner more 
forceful than elegant. He said that for a 
few seconds he imagined himself in the 
regions infernal — only he didn't put it in that 
way exactly. 

When we got back to camp we found the 
other eighteen Eangers there. They had 
had a little rumpus, too, and killed a man 
who resisted arrest. He was Pancho Ruiz, 
wanted for murder at Corpus Christi. I be- 
lieve Corporal Rudd was the one who 
killed Ruiz. We were all so tired out and 
sleepy after our long march in the rain and 
the excitement which followed it that we 
slept until late in the afternoon, each man 
standing guard for twenty minutes at a time. 
It was difficult for anyone to keep awake 
even as long as that. 

254 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

That eveniDg I wrote, with Armstrong, 
the report of the fight, and we started with 
three others and our two prisoners to Eagle 
Pass, some forty miles distant. We had 
captured about fifty head of stolen horses 
late in the afternoon, near the thieves' camp, 
and a lot of cattle. As my horse was tired, 
I decided to give him a rest and ride one of 
the stolen horses to Eagle Pass. I picked 
out a fine, big brown horse and saddled him. 
Armstrong and the other three men also 
took stolen horses for the ride, but none as 
fine in appearance as the one I had. 

Alas ! it is not always well to judge by 
appearances. I quickly discovered that my 
horse was a hard trotter, and under no cir- 
cumstances would he go in a gallop. All the 
other horses were galloping, with a motion 
as easy as the rocking of a cradle, but my 
old fellow did nothing but trot, and that in 
a way to almost jolt the teeth from my gums. 
I stood it as long as I could, and then adopted 
a plan to save myself from being shaken 
apart, I would make my horse walk very 
slowly until the others were far ahead — a 
mile or so ; then I would go on a full run 
until I caught up with them. By adopting 
this plan and repeating it over and over 

255 



A TEXAS EANGER 

again, I made that forty mites with some 
degree of comfort. 

We reached Eagte Pass at daylight and 
made camp in the wagon-yard of the little 
hotel. While we were eating our breakfast, 
two guests of the hotel came out and began 
talking to us. One of them seemed espe- 
cially curious to learn our business and all 
about us. After awhile he turned and said 
he would go in and get his breakfast. 

**Take breakfast with us," said Arm- 
strong, cordially. 

** No, thank you ; I'll go inside," said the 
man. 

" Better stay and eat with us." 

'' No ; I'm much obliged, but I think I'll 
go in the hotel." 

" I think not, my friend." 

" Why not ? You're not going to arrest 
me, I hope : I haven't done anything." 

** No," said Armstrong, who was looking 
through our book of fugitives from justice ; 
" no, we won't arrest you because, you see, 
you have been under arrest for the last fif- 
teen minutes." 

The man's jaw fell and he began to trem- 
ble, but he tried to bluster and brave it 
out. 

256 



A TEXAS EANGER 

*'This is an outrage," he said. "Fm a 
travelling man and a guest of this hotel." 

*^I know you're a travelling man," said 
Armstrong with a smile. " You've travelled 
all the way from Missouri on funds you stole 
from a bank there. I don't think you'll 
travel much farther south, my friend. 
You'll do your travelling in the other direc- 
tion now." 

The man grew ashy white, but he saw it 
would be useless to resist. He was an escap- 
ing bank cashier and had been wanted for 
some months. He was kept in jail in Eagle 
Pass until officers arrived from Missouri and 
took him back with them. 



257 



CHAPTER XVII 

Armstrong's Foolhardy Scheme — Over the Border — 
An Empty Cage — The Threatened Ambush — A 
Moonlight Eide — Drawing Lots for Dangerous 
Service — Rangers, not Desperadoes — King Fisher 
Caught Again, and Again Released — Warning an 
Old Benefactor — Extra Guard Duty. 

That morning Armstrong sisnt the report 
by wire to Captain McNelly at San Antonio. 
I later saw it in the San Antonio Express 
under a big ** scare " head. We soon dis- 
covered that the news of the Espintosa Lake 
fight had reached Eagle Pass long before we 
brought it, and a number of desperadoes 
of Fisher's gang had gone across the Rio 
Grande to Piedras Negras as a matter of 
safety. Armstrong went over the river in 
the afternoon by himself and did not return 
until after sunset. He was both excited and 
elated when he reached us. 

" Fve found out where those outlaws are,'* 
he told us, in a tone of much joy. ** They're 
all big men, too — re wards, on every one of 

258 



A TEXAS EANGER 

them. They go to a little jacal every night 
and play cards. We can steal across the 
river to-night, about nine o'clock, and corral 
the whole lot while they are playing. If 
they resist us, we can kill them." 

"How many of them are there?" I 
asked. 

"Fine," said Armstrong; "and everyone 
is wanted for murder or horse-stealing." 

" How do you propose to get them ? " 

" Go to their shanty and break in the door. 
Then we can get them." 

" "What will they be doing while we are 
breaking in ? " 

"Oh, I suppose they'll show fight, of 
course." 

We four Rangers who had come to Eagle 
Pass with Armstrong exchanged glances. 
Then we all looked at him. Finally Boyd 
said in a quiet tone : 

" John Armstrong, you're a fool." 

He didn't mean to show any disrespect to 
a superior officer. He simply wanted to give 
voice to his opinion of the Sergeant's plan. 
Armstrong seemed hurt. 

" I thought," said he, in an injured tone, 
" you boys would follow me anywhere," 

"We will," said Boyd ; "you know that. 

259 



A TEXAS KAXGER 

But you're a fool, all the same, and 

you're going to get us all killed." 

" N'onsense," said Armstrong, much re- 
lieved. "Five Rangers can lick nine of 
those fellows any day of the week, and you 
know it. We'll go over to-night about nine 
o'clock and get them." 

*^ And bring them back here with us, I 
suppose ? " 

*' Certainly — if we don't have to kill them." 

**A11 right," said the boys; "we're with 
you." 

We had supper and spent some little time 
in carefully inspecting our arms to see they 
were in complete order, and at about nine 
o'clock that night proceeded quietly to the 
ferry-boat landing and were soon poled 
across to Mexico. Armstrong led us along 
the dark streets of the little Mexican town 
and across a plaza. We halted on the 
plaza, and our leader told us in a low tone 
that the desperadoes were in a little house, 
about half-way down one of the streets 
which led off from it. 

" We'd better go down on the other side of 
the street from the house," he said, " one or 
two at a time, and then make a break for it 
when I give the word. I'll smash in the door 

263 



A TEXAS RANGER 

with the butt of my carbine, and you fellows 
pile right in after me. I needn't tell you to 
shoot to kill if they start to make any 
trouble." 

Armstrong went ahead to show us the 
way, and we followed at short intervals. 
When we arrived opposite the house, he 
silently pointed it out, and then we swiftly 
moved across the narrow street, carbines in 
hand, ready to fire at an instant's notice. 
Without a word, Armstrong lifted his car- 
bine and dealt the door a smashing blow 
with its butt. 

Crash ! it flew in and, without a second's 
pause, we dashed into the room. A smoky 
lamp on a table, which was covered with a 
jumble of playing-cards and poker-chips, 
some rush-bottomed chairs, one overturned 
on the hard dirt floor, and, more significant 
than all else, the unmistakable fumes of 
recently smoked corn-shuck Mexican cigar^ 
ettes, showed that the room had been occu- 
pied but a short time prior to our coming ; 
but when we entered it with such a flourish 
of arms it was empty, so far as despera- 
does were concerned. The birds had flown, 
doubtless having been warned, in some mys- 
terious way, of our advent. 

261 



A TEXAS RANGER 

I don't believe any of us regretted their 
absence except Armstrong. He was deeply 
chagrined, for he had counted upon bagging 
those nine desperadoes, or killing them. I 
think he would have preferred the latter 
method of dealing with them. We returned 
to Texas as soon as we realized our errand 
was fruitless and, an hour later, were sound 
asleep in the wagon-yard of the hotel, one 
man, of course, standing guard, for we were 
hardly safe without one. 

The next evening, the telegraph operator 
told Armstrong that a band of desperadoes 
had gone out on the road to Carrizo Springs, 
for the purpose of waylaying the Eangers on 
their way to Eagle Pass. We had made no 
secret of the fact that the rest of the men 
were coming to the town, and the telegraph 
operator said the desperadoes had deter- 
mined to shoot them from ambush on the 
road. 

"We'll have to warn the boys, and 
quickly," said Armstrong, when we received 
this news. '^Here, Boyd, Jennings, Mayers, 
saddle up as fast as you can and ride to the 
Carrizo. You'll probably meet the boys on 
the way, as they were to leave this after- 
noon. I wouldn't take the road if I were 

262 



A TEXAS EANGER 

you. You know the general direction. Cut 
across the prairie, and ride like hell ! " 

In a very few minutes we were on our 
horses and away. I took a white horse 
which Armstrong had ridden, for I did not 
relish going that forty miles again on my 
stolen trotter. It was after sunset when we 
started, but the moonlight made the country 
almost as bright as day and we flew over the 
prairie to warn our comrades of the danger 
which awaited them. We dashed through 
the mesquite chaparral and cacti, tore over 
flower-spangled open spaces, skimmed just 
under the low-hanging boughs of live-oaks 
and Cottonwood trees, always keeping the 
road a good quarter of a mile or so to our 
left and going, as Armstrong suggested, by 
*' general direction." 

So, for over two hours we rode, slowing 
down now and then to let our horses get 
their wind, and then darting ahead once 
more. At last we came to the thickly 
wooded banks of a stream and found that 
we could not cross it. The banks were very 
steep and covered with brush and drift-wood 
in a great tangle. 

*' There's just one place we can cross this 
creek," said Boyd, *^and that's at the road." 

263 



A TEXAS KANGER 

"And that's just where those men will be 
waiting to do their waylaying," said Mayers. 

" We'll have to risk it," I said. " We can't 
wait here, and we must get across." 

We rode back from the creek for a few 
hundred yards and then went slowly toward 
the road. When we reached it we tossed a 
coin to see who should go first, who second, 
and wjfio last. It fell to my lot to go first, 
but I would willingly have relinquished the 
honor. I drew my six-shooter and cocked it; 
Boyd, who came next, and Mayers, who was 
last, followed my example. 

**Now," said I, ** we'll go for all we're 
worth through that place. Shoot at anything 
you see that moves. One of us may get 
through anyhow, for it's so dark in there 
under the trees we won't be much of a 
mark." 

I remember regretting very keenly then 
that I had taken Armstrong's white horse 
instead of my brown trotter, but it was too 
late to remedy matters and I consoled my- 
self by thinking that even if my horse was 
shot I might escape. 

" Are you ready ? " I whispered. 

'^ All right," said Mayers. 

"Let her go," said Boyd. 

264 



A TEXAS RANGER 

I dug the spurs into my horse, leaned well 
forward in the saddle and started on a full 
run, straight for the ford. Down the bank 
and into the blackness I dashed, my pistol 
held at half -arm and ready ; into the foot or 
so of inky water I splashed, across it and up 
the hill on the other side, Boyd close at my 
horse's heels and Mayers following. 

Up, up, up ! the top of the hill was gained ! 
Hurrah ! I was already tugging at the bri- 
dle to slow down my horse, when 

God ! right in front of me, drawn across 
the road, were many men on horses — wait- 
ing. I could see the barrels of their six- 
shooters and Winchesters gleaming in the 
moonlight as they made ready for the fight. 
I jerked my horse back on his haunches and 
flung myself from the saddle to the ground. 
In a second, Boyd and Mayers followed 
suit. We darted quickly into the brush at 
the side of the road, knowing that in that 
way only could we escape. It was folly to 
try to fight all those men. 

Bang ! Crash ! and many bullets whistled 
over our heads and close to us, clipping the 
bushes all around where we lay. Then came 
the pounding of scores of hoofs and the men 
were on us. I had just raised my six-shooter 

205 



A TEXAS RANGER 

to fire at the leader of the desperadoes, when 
I recognized him. It was Corporal Kudd. 

*^Rudd! Eudd! Don't shoot !" I shrieked. 
** Look ! I'm Jennings ! We're Rangers ! " 

My voice carried far and clear and was 
answered by a whoop and a series of joyful 
yells. We were safe. 

We rode back along the road to Eagle Pass 
with the men, throwing out scouts on either 
side of the road ahead, but saw no sign of 
the waylaying party. We concluded that 
the telegraph operator must have been mis- 
informed, but he said not, later. It may be 
that the desperadoes did not care to risk 
the attempt to waylay twenty of McNelly's 
Rangers, for the fame of our prowess had 
become mighty throughout that land. 

The Rangers remained for two or three 
days in camp, just outside of Eagle Pass, and 
then started down the Rio Grande. We only 
rode about ten miles, however, and then 
turned back and went close to the town. As 
soon as night fell, some of us stole quietly 
into the town to see if we could pick up 
some of the men we wanted. Bill McKinney 
and I were sent to Bruton's saloon to see if 
we could run across any of the desperadoes 
there. We succeeded. We were not in the 

266 



A TEXAS EAXGER 

place two minutes before King Fisher him- 
self walked in. 

"Whoopee !" he yelled. " All the Rangers 
have gone down the river. Everybody come 
up to the bar and take a drink." 

McKinney went to the bar and got on 
Fisher's right hand and I placed myself at 
the left of the desperado chieftain. He was 
pouring out a drink of whiskey for himself 
when he saw McKinney standing by him 
and recognized him. He turned to me and 
looked me over. Then he smiled easily and 
said : 

*'Well, gosh durn my chaps; I thought 
you boys were all down the river, and here 
you are back again. D'you want me for 
anything ? " 

"Yes," I said, "we do." 

"All right," said Fisher, grinning again. 
" Here are my guns. What'll you have to 
drink ? " 

He unbuckled his belt and gave up his 
two white-handled six-shooters without a 
murmur. Then we had the drinks and took 
him to our camp, and that night went with 
him and several of the Rangers to a fan- 
dango. Fisher, as usual, gave bail the next 
day and was released. He didn't mind being 

267 



A TEXAS RANGER 

arrested very much ; it was so very easy for 
him to get out of trouble again. 

There was another fugitive from justice in 
the bar-room where we arrested King Fisher, 
but McKinney didn't know it and I had 
good reasons for not enlightening him. That 
man was Bill Thompson, the one who came 
to my assistance when I was fleeing from 
the Mexicans of the fiesta the first night I 
was in Nueva Laredo. I recognized him in- 
stantly and made myself known to him. 

" I suppose I ought to tell who you are," I 
said, ** but I won't. I want to warn you, 
however, that your description is in our list, 
and if you don't get over to Mexico pretty 
quick you are liable to be taken in." 

Thompson thanked me and left the room. 
I was glad to see him take the hint so 
quickly, for although I owed him a debt of 
gratitude, it went against my official con- 
science to connive at his escape. 

In a few days we all started back to Oak- 
ville again. Armstrong had heard of some 
Mexican raiders who were killing cattle for 
their hides on the Nueces River, near Fort 
Ewell, and he determined to raid their camp, 
which was on our way back. We drove 
the fifty stolen horses we had captured, the 

268 



A TEXAS EANGEK 

main body of the men riding ahead and the 
horse-herders following, a mile or so behind. 
We were scattered along the road for a 
couple of miles as we travelled, riding as we 
pleased. 

One morning Armstrong said we were not 
very far from the raiders' camp, and he or- 
dered us not to make any more noise than 
possible, as we might scare the Mexicans off. 
We had a fashion, common to cow-boys. 
Rangers, and all plains-men, of yelling like 
wild Indians at times, for nothing at all ex- 
cept to give vent to our exuberant spirits, 
born of the free, big life of the prairies. 

Early that afternoon, I was riding with 
Adams, a good half mile behind Armstrong 
and the few Kangers who were ahead with 
him. A rattlesnake crossed the road in front 
of us and coiled with an angry rattle. With- 
out any thought of the consequences, or of 
what Armstrong had said about keeping qui- 
et, I pulled my six-shooter and took a shot 
at the rattler. I missed him, and Adams 
fired. Then Durham, Parrott, Devine, and 
Griffin came galloping up to see what was 
the matter. They all began shooting at the 
snake from their horses, and at last some- 
body succeeded in killing it with a bullet. 

269 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Then we realized we had disobeyed orders 
and would get into trouble. 

"We rode slowly ahead — all but Devine — 
and presently came to where Armstrong had 
halted and was waiting for us. 

*' What was all that shooting back there ?" 
he demanded. 

" We were shooting at a snake," said Dur- 
ham. 

** I hope you killed it," said Armstrong, 
sarcastically. 

" We did." 

" I'm glad to hear it. You've probably 
scared off those raiders, who must be camped 
near here." 

He looked sternly at us for a few moments 
and then added : 

** Durham, Adams, Jennings, Griffin, and 
Parrott, you will report to Corporal Rudd 
for extra guard-duty for a week." 

He had not finished speaking before De- 
vine came galloping up at racmg speed, his 
six-shooter in his hand, excitement written 
all over his face. 

** What's all the shooting about ? " he pant- 
ed, as he reined in his horse. "I thought 
there must be a fight." 

Armstrong looked at Devine narrowly for 

270 



A TEXAS EANGER 

a second. Then his lips curved in a dry 
smile and he added : 

" Devine, you will also report to Corporal 
Rudd for extra guard-duty for a week." 

Armstrong was not an easy man to fool. 

We had lots of fun with that extra guard- 
duty. We stood the first and last reliefs by 
turns, but most of the night we all slept the 
sleep of the just and took chances. The first 
of the six culprits to wake up in the morning 
— we were all early risers — would scramble 
to his feet and begin pacing about with his 
carbine, and no one outside of the six knew 
that a strict guard had not been kept all 
through the night. We might have been 
more careful in a country where we were 
looking for trouble, but we felt safe enough 
to run the risk there. 

We found the raiders' camp, after all, and 
arrested six men in it. One old Mexican 
wanted to fight, but a crack on the head 
with the butt of a six-shooter from one of the 
men changed his notion. 

Devine nearly lost his life on the way back, 
by swimming across the Nueces River when 
a freshet was making the stream boom. He 
swam across to get a boat and was caught in 
some thorny bushes, locally known as '^ cat- 
claws," and nearly drowned. 

271 



CHAPTER XVIII 

Arrest of J. B. Johnson for Cattle-Stealing — Saved from 
Angry Germans — John May field Slain — His Body 
Hidden— The Great Fend Between the Suttons and 
Taylors — Murder of Dr. Brazell — Sitterlee's Wed- 
ding Party and the Eangers as Guests — The Court 
Proceedings — Heroism of Judge Pleasants. 

The Rangers went to San Antonio shortly 
after we arrived at the Oakville camp, and I 
was detailed to go on a scout commanded by 
Sergeant Orrell to Gillespie County for the 
purpose of arresting J. B. Johnson, charged 
with cattle-stealing. We surrounded John- 
son's house one night, broke in the door and 
arrested him. He had sworn he would not 
be taken alive. We searched the house to 
see if any others of his gang were there in 
hiding. I remember going into a bed-room 
and approaching the bed cautiously to see 
who was sleeping there. When about six 
feet from the bed, I heard a noise almost 
at my feet and, looking down, saw an enor- 

373 '; 



A TEXAS EANGER 

mous dog glaring at me in the uncertain 
light, and evidently prepared to give battle 
if I advanced another step. I did not ad- 
vance, but kept my carbine pointed at the 
big dog's head and cried out to Johnson to 
call the animal off, v^hich he did. Tv^o chil- 
dren v^ere asleep in the bed. 

"We started for San Antonio v^ith our pris- 
oner, but that morning learned that an old 
man had been murdered in the night, near 
Fredericksburg, and we rode to his ranch to 
see if we could be of any assistance in hunt- 
ing down the murderer. When we reached 
the ranch we found about two hundred ex- 
cited Germans there — the county was largely 
settled by Germans — and they were holding 
an inquest. The murdered man had been a 
sort of patriarch of the colony, and all the 
men gathered there were determined upon 
avenging his death. 

The inquest did not disclose the name of 
the murderer, but a number of the Germans 
came to the conclusion that our prisoner, 
Johnson, was the guilty party. A committee 
waited upon Sergeant Orrell and informed 
him they were going to hang Johnson, then 
and there. 

" Oh, you are, are you ? " said Orrell. 

273 



A TEXAS EANGER 

^'What do you suppose we'll be doing all 
that time ? " 

*' What do you mean ? " asked the spokes- 
man of the proposed lynching party. 

** I mean," said Orrell, *' that this man is 
my prisoner and under my protection. I 
don't believe he killed the old man, but even 
if I knew him to be the murderer I wouldn't 
give him up." 

"You'll have to do it," said the German. 
" You only have four men with you and we 
have about two hundred. We'll take him 
from you." 

Without a word in answer, Orrell handed 
a six-shooter to Johnson, who was ashy pale 
and trembling with fear. 

**Here," he said, "you take this and de- 
fend yourself, if you have to." 

Then, turning to the Germans, the Ser- 
geant said : 

" Now, gentlemen, if you care to take that 
man from us, start right in. But I want 
to tell you one thing first : before you take 
him you'll have to kill five of McISTelly's 
Rangers, and if you do kill Hve of McNelly's 
Rangers — God help your settlement ! " 

The Germans knew that Orrell meant 
every word he said, for there could be no 

274 



A TEXAS KANGER 

doubting the determination of his tone and 
manner. They also knew that if they killed 
us — or even one of us — there would come a 
fearful day of reckoning when our comrades 
heard the story. They drew off and con- 
sulted together, and came to the conclusion 
that they would not have a lynching-bee that 
afternoon. 

Shortly after, we rode away ; Johnson, 
with a Ranger on either side of him, two 
Rangers ahead, and Orrell coming behind as 
a rear guard. We landed Johnson in jail in 
San Antonio, and he was soon tried for cat- 
tle-stealing and sent to the penitentiary at 
Huntsville. 

For the next month or so the Rangers 
went on short scouting trips and made many 
important arrests of outlaws. Squads of 
men were riding here and there over the 
country, turning up when least expected and 
terrorizing the desperadoes, just as the des- 
peradoes had for years terrorized the settlers. 
Lieutenant Hall was doing great work in 
Karnes County. There he arrested eleven of 
a gang of bank-robbers, and many men 
charged with cattle-stealing, horse-stealing, 
and murder. 

December 7th, Sergeant Armstrong and J. 

275 



A TEXAS RANGER 

W. Deggs went in a buggy from the San 
Antonio camp to arrest John Mayfield, at a 
ranch about twelve miles distant, for a mur- 
der committed in Parker County. Mayfield 
had sworn he would never give up, but 
would die before submitting to arrest. So 
many desperadoes had made this same boast 
and then had given up quietly that neither 
Armstrong nor Deggs expected any trouble 
in taking Mayfield. 

They found the man in a corral near his 
house. He was breaking in a colt. Before 
Mayfield saw them, both Armstrong and 
Deggs had him covered with their six- 
shooters. Then Armstrong called out : 

*' You are under arrest ; we are Rangers." 

Mayfield turned quickly and looked at the 
two men. 

^' Throw up your hands ! " commanded 
Armstrong. 

'* I'll see you in first ! " shouted May- 
field, pulling his six-shooter and firing at 
Armstrong. 

Just before he shot, Deggs fired and struck 
Mayfield on his pistol-arm, thus saving Arm- 
strong's life. Mayfield fell, dropping his 
pistol. He immediately picked it up with 
his left hand and fired at Deggs, but this 

276 



A TEXAS RANGER 

time Armstrong shot him and he fell dead, 
cocking his six-shooter with the last bit of 
strength he had. 

The shooting aroused the settlement 
around Mayfield's place, and the two Ran- 
gers saw men coming in every direction 
with their guns. They knew that Mayfield 
had many friends, and they consequently 
thought discretion the better part of valor, 
jumped into their buggy, and drove quickly 
away, arriving at our camp two hours later. 
Lieutenant Wright and ten men immediate- 
ly started back with Armstrong and Deggs 
for the scene of the shooting, but when we 
arrived there we found that Mayfield's body 
had been taken away and buried. No one 
could be found who would tell us where the 
murderer was buried, although we very 
much wanted to know. There was a re- 
ward of four thousand dollars on Mayfield, 
dead or alive, but it was never collected, for 
we could not produce the body. 

A few days after this occurrence, I was 
sent with a number of the men to join Lieu- 
tenant Hall's detachment at Clinton, DeWitt 
County, where a state of great lawlessness 
had existed for many years. 

DeWitt County was notorious for a feud 

277 



A TEXAS RANGER 

which for over a quarter of a century- 
had existed there between the Taylor and 
Sutton factions. The Taylor-Sutton feud 
began back in the '40s, in Georgia, removed 
to Texas with the opposing families, and 
was flourishing at the time of which I write, 
1876. No vendetta of Corsica was ever car- 
ried on with more bitterness than was this 
feud in Texas. Scores of men had been 
murdered, nay, hundreds, on both sides, and 
still the war kept up. Every man in the 
county had to choose sides in the feud. A 
new settler was anxiously watched to see 
which faction he would choose as his. 
Every man went armed to the teeth. Mid- 
night murders were of frequent occurrence. 
Waylaying on the roads was considered the 
correct thing and shooting from ambush 
was taken as a matter of course. 

Matters quieted down a little in the few 
years preceding 1876, but in the twelve 
months immediately before the Rangers' ad- 
vent the feud raged more desperately than 
ever. There were over a hundred and fifty 
indictments for murder in the Sheriff's of- 
fice which had never been acted upon. 

Hall had been carefully getting at the 
facts for some time, and when he sent for 

278 



A TEXAS RANGER 

reinforcements was all ready to act. He 
made up his mind to break up the feud and 
restore order in DeWitt County. 

It was a tremendous undertaking, but Lee 
Hall had perfect faith in his ability to carry 
it through successfully. I know of no better 
illustration of the confidence which the Ran- 
gers put in their own powers than the 
fact that Hall set about his task with only 
eighteen men. There were at least five hun- 
dred men directly and indirectly engaged in 
the Taylor-Sutton feud at the time. 

Shortly before our arrival in the county, a 
despicable murder was committed by mem- 
bers of the Sutton party. They went at 
midnight to the residence of Dr. Brazell, 
an educated, refined old gentleman, dragged 
him from a sick bed in the presence of his 
wife and daughter, and murdered him in 
cold blood. At the same time, they killed 
his son. 

Hall, in a report to Adjutant - General 
Steele, dated December 16, 1876, wrote : 

** I am confident of arresting the murder- 
ers of Dr. Brazell and his son. I hold now 
thirty -one murder indictments and know 
where I can get the men. All of these men 
have friends all over the county, as more 

279 



A TEXAS RANGER 

than half the county is mixed up in the mat- 
ter. They are so involved in deeds of blood 
that they cannot afford to have any member 
of the brotherhood sent to prison. The peo- 
ple are completely terrorized and cowed by 
the assassins and cut-throats who got their 
hands in, shedding blood during the Taylor- 
Sutton troubles, then joined so-called vig- 
ilant associations, and are now killing off 
witnesses and intimidating juries by threats 
of violence, so that it is impossible to secure 
a conviction." 

It was about this time that Hall first met 
Judge Henry Clay Pleasants, the District 
Judge whose district took in DeWitt County. 

" You do your part," said the old Judge to 
Hall, "and I will see that the courts deal 
justice. Together, we can bring order out 
of chaos." 

Judge Pleasants was of an old Virginia 
family — one of the F. F. Vs. — and was a 
courtly, dignified, delightful gentleman. He 
was not only a strict and impartial Judge, 
but he was as brave as a lion, too ; and 
the latter quality was perhaps needed quite 
as much as the others at that time in De- 
Witt County. 

On the evening of December 22, 1876, Lieu- 

380 



A TEXAS RANGER 

tenant Hall rode out from Clinton to our 
camp, near the town, and told us to saddle 
up to go on a little scout with him. 

"We won't go far," he said, *^so you 
needn't take any blankets. We'll be back 
to-night." 

It was drizzling at the time and very cold 
for that part of Texas. Two of the men 
were sick and were in a house in the town 
for shelter, so that only sixteen men went 
with the Lieutenant. As we rode along 
through the dark night. Hall told us that we 
were going to arrest seven men who had 
just been indicted for the murder of the 
Brazells. He said that one of the indicted 
men was Joseph Sitterlee, Deputy Marshal 
and Deputy Sheriff of DeWitfc County, and 
that Sitterlee was being married that night. 
We were going to the wedding at the house 
of the bride's father and expected to find all 
of the Sutton gang there. 

When we reached a point about two hun- 
dred yards from the house, we dismounted 
and Hall told us we were probably going to 
have a pretty hot fight in a few minutes. 
He produced a bottle of whiskey and we 
each drank to the success of the undertak- 
ing. Then we silently stole toward the 

281 



A TEXAS EANGER 

house. As we got nearer, we could see that 
it was brightly lighted up and that a dance 
was in progress. A fiddle was squeaking, 
and through the windows we could see the 
dancers. A great many men were in the 
house, which was a large double one, with 
a gallery on each side of it. 

Hall placed his men in a wide circle all 
around the building. I was put right in 
front of it in a shaft of light which streamed 
from one of the windows. As soon as I dis- 
covered this fact, I stepped a yard or two to 
one side, out of the light. At the ends of 
the long porches Hall placed four men with 
double-barrelled shot-guns. Then he made 
a rapid round of the lines to see that every 
man was in his place. He came to me and 
asked, pleasantly : 

*' Well, how's the fighting Quaker getting 
on?" 

"Bully," I said. 

*' Good. Now don't let a man escape past 
you. I'm going into the house in a few min- 
utes and then there is going to be fun. Some 
of them will try to get away, but if they 
come your way, stop them. Don't shoot un- 
less you have to." 

He disappeared in the darkness and I 

283 



A TEXAS EANGER 

waited. In a few minutes, I saw the tall 
form of the Lieutenant pass in at the open 
door of the room where the dance was 
going on. He held a carbine in his hand. 
Instantly the music stopped and I could see 
many six-shooters being flourished in the 
air. The women screamed and there was 
a sudden rushing to and fro of men and the 
sound of angry voices. 

*^Do you want any one here, Hall?" 
called out Sitterlee, as he confronted the of- 
ficer at the doorway. 

"Yes," cried Hall, in aloud voice; "I 
want seven men for murder. I want you 
and William Meadows, the Marshal of Cuero, 
and Dave Augustine and Jake Ryan and 
William Cox and Frank Heister and Charles 
Heidrichs, all charged with the murder of 
Dr. Brazell and his son and indicted this 
day." 

At these words the uproar redoubled and 
Hall was forced back on the gallery which 
divided the two parts of the house. 

Meadows raised his voice above the others 
and, going up to Hall, demanded, excitedly : 

" How many men have you got ? " 

" Seventeen, counting myself," said Hall, 
calmly. 

283 



A TEXAS RANGER 

" Well, we've got over seventy and we'll 
fight it out," roared Meadows. 

** Yes, yes ; let's fight it out, let's fight it 
out ! " came a chorus. 

'' That's the talk," shouted Hall in a de- 
lighted tone. '* Move out your women and 
children and be quick about it. I'll give you 
three minutes to get them out of the way. 
We don't want to kill them, but it is as 
much as I can do to restrain my men. We 
came down here for a fight and we want it." 

A silence followed these bold words. 

*^ Get ready, men," Hall yelled to the Ran- 
gers. '' You with the shot-guns sweep the 
porches when I give the word. The rest of 
you shoot to kill. They're going to move 
out their women and children and then we'll 
have it." 

Meadows was crying with anger and mor- 
tification by this time. 

"We don't want to kill you all," he blurt- 
ed out. 

" Then give me your gun — quick, now ! " 
said Hall, sharply, reaching out his hand and 
disarming Meadows before that worthy 
knew well what had happened. 

Hall was quick to follow up his advan- 
tage. He grabbed six-shooters out of men's 

284 



A TEXAS EANGER 

hands, right and left, and called to two of 
the Rangers to come up and help him take 
them. In two minutes, a dozen men were 
disarmed and the Rangers were forcing their 
way through the crowd, taking guns and 
pistols as they went. 

Not a shot was fired, and in five minutes 
we had disarmed the entire Sutton gang. 

" Are you going to take us to-night ? " 
asked Sitterlee. "You might let us finish 
our dance out. I've just been married." 

" All right," said Hall. " Finish the dance 
if you want to, but if any man tries to get 
away, we'll kill him, as certain as you stand 
there. We'll take you to town at daylight." 

The dance was resumed and we stood 
guard around the house all night, going in, 
two at a time, to eat some of the wedding- 
supper. I observed that the prettiest girls 
there were the ones who seemed to take a 
pride in dancing with the accused murderers. 

I neglected to say that, at the beginning 
of the rumpus, one fat old fellow came 
plunging out of the house wildly in the dark 
and ran as hard as he could straight for me. 
I punched him in the stomach with the end 
of my carbine, and he doubled up and turned 
like a hare back to the house. This man, it 

285 



A TEXAS KANGEE 

turned out later, was the " parson " who had 
performed the marriage ceremony. 

Soon after dawn, we took our seven pris- 
oners, all mounted, to Clinton and put them 
in a room in the jail there, two of the Ran- 
gers remaining in the room with them to 
guard them and four other Rangers standing 
guard outside the building. We had three 
reliefs of six men each, four hours during 
the day and four hours at night. Hall had 
informed all at the dance, as we took the 
prisoners away, that we would kill the pris- 
oners first if there was any attempt at a res- 
cue and that afterward we would attend to 
the rescuing party. 

It was hard work, guarding those men in 
the Clinton jail, which was a little old, rick- 
ety building, so on the second day Hall re- 
moved them to the upper floor of the fine 
big court-house, where it was much easier to 
look after them. 

Habeas corpus proceedings were begun in 
their behalf in a few days and the Court sat 
for a v\^eek hearing them. Every day the 
court-room was crowded with members of 
both the Taylor and Sutton parties, but as 
we were careful to disarm every man who 
entered the building, there was no clash. 

286 



A TEXAS EANGER 

As the proceedings drew to a close, we 
received information that the members of 
the Sutton gang were determined that their 
seven comrades, under no circumstances 
should be sent to jail. Judge Pleasants re- 
ceived several anonymous letters in which 
the threat was made that he would be shot 
and killed if he decided against the accused 
murderers. Hall decided to run no chances, 
and accordingly sent for more Rangers. 
They arrived the night before the day Judge 
Pleasants was to render his decision. With 
the reinforcements, we had thirty Rangers, 
enough to take care of every " bad man " in 
the county, if need be. 

When court was called to order, the room 
was crowded with men, and everywhere it 
was whispered that Judge Pleasants would 
be shot if he decided against the prisoners 
and sent them to prison to await trial, in- 
stead of admitting them to bail. 

The old Judge took his seat on the bench 
amid a profound silence. One could feel the 
suppressed excitement in the court-room and 
see it reflected in the faces of the spectators. 
Just before the Judge arose to give his 
decision, six of the Rangers stepped up to 
the bench and stood on either side of the 

287 



A TEXAS EANGER 

Judge. I was one of the three on his right 
and was next to his side. Like the other 
five men, I had my carbine in my hand 
and, like the others, I threw a cartridge 
into the breech and cocked the gun in 
plain sight of all in the court-room. Then 
we stood at ^' ready " while Judge Pleasants 
addressed the crowd of men in the room. 
With supreme dignity he stood and looked 
at them for a full minute before he spoke. 
Then he said, in a calm, distinct voice whose 
every tone carried conviction : 

" The time has arrived for me to announce 
my decision in this case. I shall do so with- 
out fear or favor, solely upon the evidence 
as it has been presented. This county is 
and has been for years a reproach to the 
fair name of the State of Texas. Over it 
have roamed bands of lawless men, commit- 
ting awful outrages, murdering whom they 
pleased, shooting down men from ambush 
in the most cowardly manner possible. Here 
in this very room, listening to me now, are 
murderers who long ago should have been 
hanged. I do not speak of the prisoners at 
the bar, but of you who yet are free. You 
are murderers, bushwhackers, midnight as- 
sassins. 

288 



A TEXAS KANGEK 

** Some of you have dared to threaten me 
with cowardly anonymous letters, and I have 
had to bring State soldiers into this court 
of justice. I learn that you have blamed 
the Sheriff of this county for calling upon 
the Rangers to assist in restoring order. 
No, it was not the Sheriff who had the 
Rangers sent here ; it was I. I called for 
them and I am going to see that they re- 
main here in this county until it is as peace- 
ful and law-abiding as any in the State — as 
quiet and orderly as any in the Union. I tell 
you now, beware ! The day of reckoning is 
surely coming. It is close at hand. When 
you deal with the Texas Rangers, you deal 
with men who are fearless in the discharge 
of their duty and who will surely conquer 
you. 

*'I shall send these men at the bar to jail 
to await trial for as wicked and cowardly a 
murder as ever disgraced this State. It is 
but the beginning. Others will soon follow 
them. The reign of the lawless in DeWitt 
County is at an end ! " 

Never shall I forget how the gray-haired 
old Judge's eyes flashed and how his fine 
voice rang as he pronounced these words. 
Angry looks came into the faces of scores 

289 



A. TEXAS KANGER 

of men in the court-room, but they knew 
better than to make any demonstration. 

** Lieutenant Hall, clear the room, sir," 
ordered Judge Pleasants, when he conclud- 
ed. In a very few minutes the order was 
obeyed, and men who had come to Clinton 
determined to create trouble were leaving 
the town, thoroughly cowed. 

It was the beginning of the end of their 
power in the county, and they knew it. 



290 



CHAPTER XIX 

Hot Words with Eector — A Duel Avoided — Eeorgani- 
zation of the Kangers — Ham White's Chivalry — His 
Facetiousness — Execution of Frank Singleton — John 
Wesley Hardin, the Worst of the "Bad Men"— 
Some of his Crimes — His Wonderful Marksmanship 
— His Pious Parentage. 

From that time, the Rangers were exceed- 
ingly active in DeWitt County, and hundreds 
of arrests were made. The desperadoes 
could no longer find shelter there. A guard 
of four men went with Judge Pleasants 
when he travelled through the county, and 
wherever he held court the Rangers were 
always present. Gradually the worst char- 
acters in the county were either jailed or run 
out, and in a few weeks' time order was 
restored and the long-standing feud was a 
thing of the past. 

January 26, 1877, Captain McNelly, who 
had become an invalid, resigned his com- 
mand, and the Ranger troop was reorgan- 
ized at Victoria, under command of Lee Hall. 

291 



A TEXAS KANGER 

On the day we were reorganized, I had 
some words with Rector, and we both pulled 
our six-shooters and were about to fire, when 
Armstrong and one or two others got be- 
tween us and we were disarmed and put un- 
der arrest. We decided to fight a duel at 
daylight the next morning with six-shooters, 
beginning at twenty paces and advancing. 
It was to be a duel to the death. 

That afternoon, I was standing on the 
street in Victoria with Griffin, when a doctor 
drove up in his buggy and got down. He 
looked at us for a moment clpsely and then 
asked : 

" Say, aren't you boys feeling a little under 
the weather ? " 

We both said we were feeling ill. I had 
been ill for two days, but had thought little 
of it. 

"Well," said the doctor, " I believe you 
both have the measles. The best thing for 
you to do is to go and get a big drink of 
whiskey and hot water and go to bed at the 
hotel. I'll come around later and see how 
you are getting on." 

We followed his directions, and that night 
I was delirious. I was out of my head for 
two days, and on the third Rector came 

293 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

around and we made up our quarrel and 
shook hands. 

The reader may be curious to know why 
we were going to fight and what caused our 
quarrel. Strange as it may seem, I cannot 
remember at this time why we quarrelled. 
I only know that we had words about some- 
thing at camp, but what that something- 
was I do not remember. It is only another 
illustration of the reckless kind of fellows 
we were in those good old days of Ranger 
life, ready to fight at the twitching of a fin- 
ger, for little or nothing. 

After the reorganization of the Rangers, 
we returned to DeWitt County and contin- 
ued to arrest men for whom indictments 
were found. We also went into other near- 
by counties, everywhere arresting desper- 
adoes. I have copies of the reports made to 
the Adjutant-General, and find in them that 
in a little more than two months we arrested 
over eleven hundred men. 

We had no fights and so did not kill any- 
one. We couldn't get into a fight in those 
days, because we couldn't find any men who 
would fight us. We had been so uniformly 
successful and had come out victors so often 
against heavy odds that whenever we ran 

293 



A TEXxiS RANGER 

across desperate characters, so called, they 
would submit at once. It became too tame 
to be interesting — certainly too void of excite- 
ment to be worth recording. I shall, there- 
fore, depart from the continued narrative of 
the Ranger life and only give those incidents 
which were of extraordinary interest and 
importance. 

The arrest of Ham White, stage robber, 
was one of these. Captain Hall personally 
made that arrest. 

Ham White was a genuine Knight of the 
Road. He was as fine in his methods as 
ever Claude Duval, that prince of highway- 
men, dared to be. It is related by Macaulay 
how, at the head of his troop, Duval ** stopped 
a lady's coach, in which there was a booty 
of four hundred pounds ; how he took only 
one hundred, and suffered the fair owner to 
ransom the rest by dancing a coranto with 
him on the heath." 

Now, although Ham White probably never 
" danced a coranto " in his life, and wouldn't 
have known a " coranto " if he had seen one, 
he was much more gallant than Duval, for 
he refused to rob ladies at all. He hadn't 
any *' troop," but worked absolutely alone. 

He did not stop ladies' coaches, but held up 

294 



A TEXAS RANGER 

the regular stage coaches with Wells, Fargo 
Express boxes and Uncle Sam's mail-bags 
on them. Twice in one day in the latter 
part of March, 1877, White robbed the stage 
coaches between Austin and San Antonio. 
He did not get much booty from the first 
coach, so he waited for the other. It was 
filled with passengers and a guard was rid- 
ing on it, but Ham White with his six- 
shooters was a match for them all, and they 
surrendered without a struggle. 

He made the passengers get out and cut 
open the United States mail-bags and hand 
him the registered packages. While they 
were thus engaged, White discoursed to 
them upon the enormity of their action. 

" Don't you know how wicked it is to rob 
the mail-bags?" he asked, facetiously. "I 
certainly would make a complaint against 
you, but I haven't the time to fool around 
the courts as a witness." 

A man who handed all his money over 
to White— some three hundred dollars — said 
to him : 

*^ I should like to get my watch back, as it 
was a present to me from my brother, who 
is dead." 

" I would not think of taking it from you, 

295 



A TEXAS RANGER 

if that is the case," said White. '^Here, 
take this ten dollars, so that you will have 
enough to live on, a day or so, when you 
reach San Antonio." 

To a lady who was one of the passengers, 
he said : 

** Madam, there is no reason for your 
alarm. I can assure you, I have no inten- 
tion of taking a cent from you." 

To the stage-driver he said : 

"I'd like to swap my horse for that off- 
leader of yours. My horse is really a better 
animal, but yours is fresher, and I may have 
to do some fast riding when I leave you." 

Of course, the trade was made, and it was 
because of the exchange of horses that 
White was captured. The stage-horse he 
took had a broken shoe and, consequently, 
was easy to track. Captain Hall was in- 
formed, that evening, of the robbery, and 
early the next morning took up White's trail 
at the place where he had held up the stage- 
coach. With three of the Rangers, Hall 
tracked White for a day and a half. That 
brought the pursuing party to Luling. 

In the livery-stable there. Hall found his 
man. The three Rangers were at dinner 
at the hotel, when Hall met White in the 

296 



A TEXAS EANGER 

stable. White reached for his pistols, but 
Hall threw himself on the man and bore him 
to the floor. They had a rough-and-tumble 
fight, at the end of which Hall was sitting 
on the helpless White and relieving him of 
about $4,000 in gold. 

White was tried and received a sentence 
of ninety-nine years in a military prison, for 
robbing the United States mails. It turned 
out that White was a near relative of Sec- 
retary of the Navy Goff, under President 
Hayes, and Hayes pardoned the stage-rob- 
ber. It was the last act of Hayes's official 
life. 

White returned to Southwest Texas and 
made threats that he would have Captain 
Hall's life, but Hall started out to find him 
and White disappeared. He next turned up 
in Colorado under the name of H. W. Burton, 
and began robbing stages between Lake 
City and Alamosa. Then, with ten or twelve 
men, he robbed trains in Colorado. He was 
caught and again was sentenced to life im- 
prisonment, but on an appeal escaped on 
a legal technicality. He disappeared for 
awhile, but finally was arrested in Ohio for 
killing the man who had killed his father. 
He escaped from the Columbus, Ohio, jail 

297 



A TEXAS RANGER 

and the last heard of him, he was robbing 
stages in California, in 1892, and always 
alone. He has been confounded many times 
with the notorious Black Bart, but was far 
more daring than that '^ knight of the road." 

In April, 1877, I was one of nine Rangers 
who guarded Frank Singleton in the little 
two-roomed jail in Beeville, prior to his exe- 
cution for murder. He was the first of the 
murderers to be sentenced by Judge Pleas- 
ants, and it was important that the sentence 
of the Court should be carried out without a 
hitch. Singleton had a big following, and 
many threats were made that he would never 
be hanged. The date of his execution was 
fixed for April 27th. 

He was as cool a man, under the circum- 
stances, as I ever saw, and my experience as 
a Ranger and, many years later, as a New 
York newspaper reporter, brought me into 
personal contact with many condemned mur- 
derers. Singleton made an absurd will, a 
few days before his execution. In it he 
bequeathed his skin to the prosecuting attor- 
ney of the county, with the suggestion that 
it be stretched into a drum-head and beaten 
at the door of the court-house every year, 

298 



A TEXAS RANGER 

on the anniversary of his execution, " as a 
warning to evil-doers. '* The rest of his body 
he bequeathed to the doctors, to be used in 
the cause of science. 

On the evening before the day of execu- 
tion, nine more Rangers came to Beeville 
and joined us. That night I passed in Sin- 
gleton's cell with him. Three other Rangers 
were also in the cell. The jail was a wooden 
affair and the Sheriff had chained Single- 
ton to the floor. The chain was fastened 
to heavy iron shackles which were forged 
around the prisoner's ankles. 

All night long I played "seven-up" with 
Singleton. We played for $10 a game — on 
trust. Singleton owed me $40 at the end of 
the games. 

" I don't know where I'm going," said he ; 
*^but wherever it may be, I'll try and have 
that $40 for you by the time you come 
along." 

When the sheriff came to remove the 
shackles from Singleton's feet, the murderer 
said : 

"Sheriff, I wouldn't use those leg-irons 
again, if I were you." 

** Why ? " asked the Sheriff. 

For answer, Singleton picked up the shac- 

299 



A TEXAS RANGER 

kles and with his thumb-nail removed some 
soap from a crack in them, revealing how he 
had managed to saw them nearly in two. 

^' I'd have been away from here long ago," 
he said, ** if it hadn't been for these Rangers. 
They watched me too closely. I had a file 
and a little saw and a bottle of nitric acid. 
I softened the iron with the acid and sawed 
away at night." 

** Where are these tools ? " 

Singleton put his finger in a crack be- 
tween the boards which made the inner wall 
of his cell and pulled up a string to which 
the saw, file, and a bottle of acid were at- 
tached. He would not say how he obtained 
them, but he presented the file to me. 

" You may keep that to remember me by," 
he said. " You may need it, some day, if 
you ever get into a ^^ like mine." 

I thanked him, despite the rather dubious 
suggestiveness of his estimate of my char- 
acter. 

He was executed in front of the jail, and 
people came from all over the county to see 
him hanged. Many women and children 
were in the crowd. The Rangers formed a 
circle round the high scaffold and kept back 
the crowd. We made such a display of force 

300 



A TEXAS KANGER 

that a scheme of his friends to rescue Single- 
ton at the last moment was not attempted. 
He was smoking a cigar as he walked up 
the steep steps of the scaffold. The black- 
cap was put half on his head and then he 
threw the cigar away, saying : 

** I reckon you and I'll go out at about 
the same time." 

A few minutes later he was dangling at 
the end of the rope, dead. 

John Wesley Hardin, of DeWitt County, 
was the worst of the " bad men " Texas pro- 
duced in such numbers during the stormy 
reconstruction days. He was probably the 
worst desperado ever in Texas, at any time. 
When the Rangers captured him, late in 
August, 1877, he was known to have killed 
over a score of men. He himself placed the 
number at twenty-seven, **not counting 
Mexicans and niggers." 

The name of John Wesley Hardin was 
dreaded from one end of Texas to the 
other. Let it be rumored that Hardin was in 
a county, and that county became panic- 
stricken. When he rode into a town, the 
town and all its inhabitants were at his 
mercy, and hastened to do his bidding. If 

301 



A TEXAS RANGER 

any person dared to thwart his will, another 
"killing" was added to Hardin's list. All 
the other "bad men" were as much afraid 
of John Wesley Hardin as peaceable citizens 
were afraid of them. He was a marvellous 
shot with a six-shooter. He could shoot with 
his left hand as well as with his right. He 
could take a six-shooter in each hand and 
put all twelve bullets in a playing-card at 
twenty yards with lightning rapidity. He 
could handle his favorite weapon as a juggler 
handles painted balls. He could twirl a six- 
shooter around his finger, by the trigger- 
guard, so rapidly that it looked like a wheel 
and then, at the word, fire and hit the mark. 
He could fire a Winchester repeating rifle so 
rapidly that a continuous stream of fire came 
from the muzzle and four or five empty 
shells from the ejector were in the air at 
the same time, falling at different heights, 
to the ground. 

He killed men on the slightest provocation, 
and on no provocation at all. He never 
forgave an injury, and to incur his displeas- 
ure was simply suicide. 

Out of the many tales of Hardin which 
were current in Texas, I select two or three 
which I know to be true. 

302 



A TEXAS EANGER 

On one occasion, he met a sewing-machine 
agent in the country. The agent was driv- 
ing a wagon in which were two or three 
sewing-machines. Hardin made the agent 
take one of the machines from the wagon, 
place it in the dusty road and sew on it. 
The desperado took off his jacket, ripped it 
up the back, and made the agent sew it up 
again. He amused himself in this way for 
two hours and then sent the agent about his 
business with the remark : 

**rm feeling pretty good-natured to-day, 
so I won't kill you if you get away quick." 

One day, Hardin found himself short of 
money. He came to a country store where 
a number of men were congregated. He 
told them he wanted to get money by 
raffling off his horse and saddle. The 
chances were two dollars each. The men 
were afraid to refuse to take chances, and 
some of them tried to curry favor with the 
noted desperado by taking two or three 
chances apiece. Hardin took the money 
and told them to begin throwing the dice. 
While they were doing so, Hardin walked 
out, mounted his horse and rode away. 
Not one of his victims dared follow him. 

At Cuero, one day, he was in a saloon, 

303 



A TEXAS EANGER 

drinking. He stepped to the door and saw 
a stranger sitting on a dry-goods box, two 
blocks away. 

*' I'll bet you the drinks I can kill that fel- 
low the first shot with my revolver," said 
Hardin to a companion. 

The bet was accepted and Hardin pulled 
his six-shooter and fired. The man fell dead. 
Hardin went into the saloon and took his 
drink, as calmly as though nothing unusual 
had happened. 

A sheriff got the drop on Hardin once and 
arrested him. He kept the outlaw covered 
with his six-shooter and told him to hand 
over his revolvers. Hardin took his pistol 
and, holding it by the barrel, handed it, butt 
first, to the sheriff. The sheriff extended 
his hand for the weapon, but just as his 
fingers were closing on it, Hardin gave it a 
sudden flirt and a twist and fired, sending a 
ball through the sheriff's heart. 

At another time, he was arrested and five 
negro soldiers were taking him to jail. In 
the night, Hardin managed to get his hands 
untied. He crept behind the man on guard 
and stunned him with a blow from a stick. 
Then he deliberately murdered all five sol- 
diers. 

804 



A TEXAS KANGEE 

He began murdering men when he was 
only fifteen years old. He grew into a short, 
stocky man, of great activity and strength. 
He was a perfect rider. His face was broad. 
He had little, pig-like eyes, which had the 
glitter and very much the expression of the 
eyes of a rattlesnake. They were ever mov- 
ing here and there and were not quiet for a 
moment. This habit of glancing continu- 
ally right and left and behind him, was 
caused by the constant outlook he had to 
maintain against surprise, for he had many 
bitter enemies who would not have hesi- 
tated to kill him from behind, although they 
dared not face him. 

Hardin's parents were good, simple folk, 
his father being a preacher of the frontier 
sort, who mingled the occupation of ranch- 
man with that of his sacred calling, because 
his pay as a preacher was never sufficient to 
support his family. His intention was to 
make a preacher of his son, and the name 
John Wesley was given him in memory of 
the great founder of Methodism. The son 
turned out to be the heaviest cross ever 
preacher was called upon to bear, but despite 
the boy's wickedness, he was always beloved 
by his parents. 

305 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Another illustration of his cold-blooded 
character came to me in Texas, well authen- 
ticated. One night Hardin was awakened 
in a lodging-house by the snoring of a man 
on the other side of a thin wooden partition. 
Having fixed the precise point where the 
sleeper lay, Hardin fired through the par- 
tition, killed him, and then turned over and 
slumbered peacefully for the rest of the 
night. 

A few months before Hardin's capture and 
conviction, a young man was walking on 
the streets in Cuero with a young woman to 
whom he was engaged to be married. The 
couple met a noted bully, who was out on 
a periodical tear. He met and passed them, 
and then deliberately turned and shot the 
young man dead. A more wanton murder 
was never committed, for the two had not 
exchanged a word, and never saw each other 
before. Nothing was done with the assassin 
in that feud-ridden county. He was not even 
arrested. The brother of the victim was so 
enraged when he learned of the murder that 
he started out with a shot-gun, swearing he 
would kill the assassin or be killed him- 
self. 

While he was hunting through the vari- 

306 



A TEXAS EANGER 

ous saloons for him, he met Hardin, who in- 
quired his business. The young man, almost 
beside himself, explained. 

"You can't work it," said Hardin, with 
a warning shake of the head ; *^ that fel- 
low '11 get the drop on you quicker'n light- 
ning." 

"I don't care; he murdered my brother, 
and I'll never rest till I shoot him." 

"Well," said Hardin, "I'll go along and 
see that you get a square deal." 

At this moment, the young man caught 
sight of the miscreant, on the other side of 
the narrow street. He took deliberate aim 
and fired, but was so excited he missed his 
man. The desperado whirled around like a 
flash and had the drop on the young man 
before he knew his danger. 

"So you're looking for me, are you?" he 
asked with a grin; "wal, I'll give you just 
two minutes to say your prayers in." 

And he held his pistol on a dead level, 
while the trembling youth could do nothing 
but stand in his tracks, helplessly awaiting 
his fate. But the bully failed to note another 
figure, standing a few paces behind the 
youth, calmly watching the proceedings. 
Before the two minutes had expired, Hardin 

307 



A TEXAS KANGER 

fired and the other desperado rolled over 
with a bullet in his brain. 

Among the many deaths inflicted by 
Hardin's pistol or Winchester, this is the 
only one for which an impartial jury would 
have acquitted him. 



308 



CHAPTER XX 

Disappearance of Hardin — Efforts for His Capture — On 
the Trail — Four Rangers Off for Florida in Pursnifc 
— Hardin a Prisoner — Sentenced to Twenty-five 
Years' Imprisonment — Pardoned by the Governor — 
Killed at Last — Establishment of Law and Order 
Due to Rangers — Simms of San Antonio — The Old 
Command Disbanded. 

When the Rangers began to make things 
so hot for the desperadoes in and near De- 
Witt County, Hardin disappeared. Try as 
we might, we could learn nothing of his 
whereabouts. He was a prize worth cap- 
turing, too, not only because he was such a 
notorious desperado, but also because the 
State offered a reward of $4,000 for him, 
dead or alive. Connected with the Rangers, 
and on the pay-rolls, were two or three men 
who were only known to the Captain. They 
were the detectives of our force. One of 
these men was John Duncan. 

By order of Captain McNelly, Duncan had, 
months before, undertaken to find John 

309 



A TEXAS EANGEE 

Wesley Hardin. To this end, Duncan hired 
the ranch adjoining that owned by Hardin's 
father, the preacher. The Ranger detective 
cultivated the friendship of the old man, but 
did it with such deliberation and natural- 
ness that his identity or purpose was never 
suspected. 

For days, weeks, and months the two met 
in the evening, smoked their pipes, and 
talked over matters such as naturally oc- 
curred to them ; but never once was refer- 
ence made to John Wesley Hardin, the son. 
The detective, however, was biding his time, 
and it was not until five months had passed 
that the chance for which he was waiting 
came. One afternoon, just as it was grow- 
ing dark, Mr. Hardin remarked that he had 
a letter to mail, and would walk to the post^ 
office, which was in a grocery store at the 
junction of the highway, half a mile away. 

**I may as well take a stroll with you," 
said the other, rising to his feet. Hardin 
was glad to have him, and they entered the 
store together. Hardin asked for a pen 
with which to direct the letter, which was 
written in lead-pencil and enclosed in an en- 
velope. The postmaster handed him a pen, 
and Hardin began writing the name slowly 

310 



A TEXAS EANGER 

and with great care. Just before he finished, 
the pipe of the detective went out, and he 
leaned over the shoulder of the unsuspect- 
ing Hardin, to get a match. As he did so, 
he gave one quick glance at the envelope. 
It was enough, for he read the name and 
address and was sure to remember them. 

Duncan and Hardin walked home together, 
conversing on the way on various matters. 
A few days later, Duncan said he would 
have to go to St. Louis, to see some cattle- 
men there. Instead of going to St. Louis, 
however, Duncan went straight to San An- 
tonio, where he met John Armstrong, Char- 
ley McKinney, and two other Rangers. The 
party at once started for Florida, for the 
address on the letter the old man had sent 
was *' William Jones," at a little place near 
Pensacola, Florida. 

They arrived at Pensacola, August 18th. 
Duncan took the train for the little station, 
to which the letter was addressed. He saw 
Hardin at work in a field on a farm, but 
passed him by without apparent notice. 
Duncan came back to Pensacola. He had 
taken the telegraph-operator at the little sta- 
tion into his confidence, however, and had ar- 
ranged with him to send a despatch notify- 

311 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ing him when Hardin should next take the 
train for a station nearer Pensacola. The 
operator told Duncan that Hardin was in 
the habit of taking this train about once 
a week, as he was paying attentions to a 
farmer's daughter at the second station. 

On Saturday, August 23d, Duncan received 
the telegram he expected, and he and the 
four Kangers went at once to a point up the 
railroad where Hardin's train was scheduled 
to stop. When the train arrived, Arm- 
strong entered the car where Hardin sat, 
walking in at the forward end. Hardin and 
a companion were the only occupants of the 
car. Another of the Rangers entered the 
car at the rear door and took the seat imme- 
diately behind Hardin and his friend. The 
other officers remained outside, near the plat- 
forms. 

Hardin paid no attention to Armstrong 
and the other Ranger until Armstrong 
reached the place where the desperado was 
sitting. Then Armstrong looked Hardin 
straight in the eye and said : 

" How are you, John Wesley Hardin ? " 

With a motion as quick as a flash, Hardin 
threw back his hand for his six-shooter ; but 
the Ranger who was behind him was ex- 

312 



A TEXAS RANGER 

pecting this, and he caught the outlaw's arm 
and hung on to it. 

Hardin's companion drew his six-shooter, 
however, and Armstrong immediately put a 
bullet in his head. Then a fight with Har- 
din began all over the car. He kicked and 
bit like a wildcat, trying his best all the 
while to get at his revolver. It took five 
minutes to handcuff and disarm him. 

Without waiting for requisition papers, or 
even to notify the Florida oflficers of the 
capture, Armstrong and his party started 
for Texas. They actually kidnapped Har- 
din, and were going through Alabama be- 
fore they were stopped. Then an officious 
lawyer got an order from an Alabama 
court, which delayed the party twenty-four 
hours. The news that John Wesley Hardin 
was on the train drew great crowds, all 
through Louisiana and Eastern Texas, to 
the stations. As the party approached Aus- 
tin, the crowds grew larger and larger. In 
Austin itself, the streets near the railroad 
station were filled with a great crowd and it 
was whispered that a lot of DeWitt County 
desperadoes were there to rescue Hardin. 

This rumor reached the ears of the Ran- 
gers who had gathered in Austin, and they 

313 



A TEXAS EANGER 

telegraphed to Armstrong. The consequence 
was that Hardin was taken off the train on 
the outskirts of Austin and conveyed to the 
jail by the Rangers on horseback before the 
crowd at the depot knew what had hap- 
pened. 

Hardin was tried on one of the many in- 
dictments against him, and found guilty of 
murder in the second degree ! The Gov- 
ernor had said he would pardon Hardin if he 
was not sentenced to be hanged, and have 
him tried on others of the eighteen murder 
indictments against him until a jury could 
be found who would find him guilty of mur- 
der in the first degree, but this was not done. 
Hardin was sentenced to the State peniten- 
tiary at Huntsville for twenty-five years. 
When he went to jail he swore that if he out- 
lived his sentence, he would hunt down every 
man concerned in his capture and kill all. 

Armstrong and his four companions re- 
ceived $800 each from the State for captur- 
ing Hardin. They regretted, later, that they 
had not turned him over to the Louisiana 
authorities, for there was a reward of $12,- 
000 for him in Louisiana, for murders com- 
mitted there. 

Strange as it may seem, Hardin was par- 

314 



A TEXAS RANGER 

doned by Governor Hogg, of Texas, in 1893. 
What possible reason there could be for 
granting a pardon to such an unspeakable 
villain, it is difficult to conceive ; but certain 
it is that by the Governor's action the man 
was set free. He studied law while in the 
penitentiary, and when he was set at liberty 
he announced his intention of practising at 
the bar. 

For awhile after his release he was on his 
good behavior, but soon he showed signs of 
going back to his old life. He went to El 
Paso, and on the night of May 2, 1895, '' held 
up "the *'Gem" gambling-house there in a 
most sensational manner. He played faro 
until he lost several hundred dollars. Then 
he suddenly drew his six-shooter and, point- 
ing it at the head of the faro-dealer, said : 

** You are too cute for me, you ! Now 

just hand me over the money I paid for my 
chips and all the rest you have in the 
drawer." 

The dealer, a man named Baker, handed 
over the money without a word and Hardin 
walked out of the place. Hardin left the 
town, but returned in August of the same 
year to see a woman who lived there. He 
found, on his arrival, that the woman had 

315 



A TEXAS RANGER 

been arrested a few days before, by a police- 
man named Sellman. Hardin threatened to 
run Sellman out of the town. 

Two nights later — August 19, 1895 — Con- 
stable Sellman, the father of the policeman, 
walked into a bar-room where Hardin was 
shaking dice. As soon as Hardin saw Sell- 
man, he whirled around and put his hand to 
his hip to draw his six-shooter. Sellman was 
quicker than he, however, and sent a bullet 
crashing through the desperado's head. As 
Hardin was falling, Sellman sent two more 
bullets through his heart. 

The worst of all of the ** bad men " of Texas 
thus died ** with his boots on," as he had often 
sworn he would die. 

I should like to go on and tell, in detail, all 
the exploits of the Rangers, but, interesting 
as it is to me to recall those exciting days, I 
fear that the reader has supped too full of 
horrors already. I should like to recount 
how Captain Hall and his men rounded up a 
great band of Mexican bandits, who, in 1878, 
arranged to invade Texas under General 
Escobedo, the man who shot Maximilian; 
how we came near taking retaliatory meas- 
ures and invading Mexico in force, for Gov- 

316 



A TEXAS EANGER 

ernor Hubbard threatened to issue a procla- 
mation calling for fifty thousand men; how 
we made a forced march of 250 miles in three 
and a half days, from El Paso to the strong- 
hold of Escobedo's men, and succeeded in ar- 
resting him and his followers. 

All these matters are of much reminiscent 
interest to me, but to give them with proper 
detail would make too long a story. The 
killing of Sam Bass and his notorious gang 
in August, 1878, by Lee Hall and others of 
the Rangers; the final breaking up of every 
band of desperadoes in Texas ; the establish- 
ment of law and order where formerly out- 
laws governed; the making of the great 
State into an orderly, prosperous country, 
where life and property is as safe as in ISTew 
York, is the record of the Rangers. It is 
a record of which the survivors of the old 
troop have good reason to be proud. 

I say "the survivors," for the great ma- 
jority of the old comrades I loved are dead. 
Charley McKinney, as I have told, was mur- 
dered by a man whom he tried to arrest. 
The murderer was afterward hanged in San 
Antonio. Every little while, I hear of an- 
other of the Rangers passing away. McNelly 
died of consumption, early in 1878. 

317 



A TEXAS EANGER 

King Fisher and Ben Thompson, the latter 
having a *' killing" record of some thirty 
odd men, were both killed in one night by 
William K. Simms, a gambler of San An- 
tonio. They entered the variety theatre 
owned by Simms, with the expressed pur- 
pose of "cleaning it out." Simms, who was 
mild-mannered and gentlemanly, went to 
the box where the two ** man-killers " were, 
and expostulated with them. Thompson 
called him a vile name and "reached" for 
his revolver. 

In an instant, Simms shot him through the 
head. Thompson, as he fell, managed to fire 
his pistol twice into the floor, although a bul- 
let had passed through his brain. Fisher had 
his hand on his pistol, but before he could 
use it, Simms shot him through the heart. 
Simms was tried and acquitted, the plea be- 
ing self-defence. I saw Simms on my last 
visit to Texas. Never have I met a more 
entertaining man. He dislikes greatly to 
talk of the killing of Fisher and Thompson. 
It made him for a time the " mark " for every 
aspiring " bad man " who went to San Anto- 
nio. They got drunk and straightway made 
up their minds that they would kill Simms, 
the man who killed two men in a night. 

318 



A TEXAS RANGER 

Simms was forced to shoot three of these 
rash cow-boys who came to kill him. 

** I got very tired of it," he said to me. ** I 
wanted to live in peace, but they wouldn't let 
me. Sometimes I would go up to New Eng- 
land and hunt out some quiet, retired village 
where I might be at rest, but, although I 
went under an assumed name at such times, 
my identity was sure to be discovered and 
then I was looked upon with suspicion. 

" I was in one of these little New England 
towns, one summer, and was enjoying my- 
self greatly in a quiet way, when one day 
the barber who was shaving me said : 

*' * You don't seem to me like such a bad 
man, Mr. Simms.' 

*^ I jumped so that the barber almost cut 
my throat with his razor. 

" * Who told you my name was Simms 
and that I was a bad man ? ' I demanded. 

"He said that an agent for a laundry 
company had told him that I had killed 
twenty -four men. He said the laundry- 
agent was formerly the county clerk in San 
Antonio. I knew that part of the story was 
a lie, and I started out to look for the laun- 
dryman. I couldn't find him, and I returned 
to my hotel. Then I noticed that men gath- 

319 



A TEXAS RANGER 

ered in little groups and eyed me as though 
I were some wild animal. Presently, a 
young man stepped up to me and said : 

" '1 should like to have you patronize our 
laundry, sir.' 

** I jumped for him and grabbed him by 
the collar. He grew as white as one of the 
shirts his laundry did up. 

" ^So you're the man who has told every- 
one that I killed twenty-four men ! ' I shout- 
ed. * Who are you, anyway ? I know you 
were never the county clerk at San An- 
tonio.' 

'' ^ I — I worked in the county clerk's of- 
fice,' he stammered, ' and I really did hear 
you had killed twenty-four men.' 

" ' Young man,' I said, ' you and I are go- 
ing to take a little walk out into that corn- 
jfield over there. Only one of us is coming / 
back again. I think I'll be the one to come 
back.' 

** He begged for his life, and I told him I'd 
let him off if he'd promise to go to everyone 
he had talked to about me and tell each one 
that he had been lying. He did it, but I 
came away in a few days. The place had 
lost all its charm for me." 

The old company of Rangers was at an 

320 



A TEXAS EANGER 

end when Captain Hall resigned, in 1880. I 
resigned late in 1878, and returned to Phil- 
adelphia. I thought I had seen enough ad- 
venture for a man of twenty-two. I tried 
to live a quiet, civilized life, but the tame- 
ness of an existence in the city was more 
than I could stand and, in 1881, I started 
West again, this time for Colorado. I be- 
came a prospector and miner in the Rockies, 
and put in nearly three more years of wild 
life in the mining-camps and the mountains. 
Some day I may tell of those days, for they 
were filled with adventure. 

It is a relief to put on paper the record of 
the free, out-door existence of by-gone years. 
I am glad I have done it, for it is well that 
the history of McISTelly's and Hall's Texas 
Rangers should live after we who made up 
that body have passed away. 



321 



nCT 4 - 1350 




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